Immortal
by reminiscent-afterthought
Summary: Sequel to In Memoriam... He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...
1. Deviation

**Author's Notes**

Hello everyone. And to those who already know me, hi again. Here's the first chapter of Immortal, which, once I put some thought into the preliminary stages of planning, has turned into a multichaptered fic.

Now, this is the sequel to In Memoriam..., so if you haven't read that yet, I'd recommend you do so otherwise you might get lost here. Emphasis on the might, because you might not. But it's a short fic, only six pages long so it shouldn't take too long, unless you're like my friend who takes the whole of lunchtime to read half a page. But that's only because her other friends (sometimes me included, sometimes not) distract her too much.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own digimon. I do own In Memoriam... though, and this fic.

Anyway, enjoy everyone. And sorry about the confusion. I promise it'll get clearer later on. But you're more than welcome to ask. Just if you do, mention whether you want anything spoilt or not, because that will impact on the level of depth I can explain things, and to some questions, whether or not I can answer at this stage at all.

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 1 – Deviation**

Most classrooms were rather mundane in appearance, and the one Kouji was currently seated in was no exception. It had the basic structure of any regular classroom though it was slightly smaller; four walls, a roof, and the floor, with the door in the right hand corner and the windows at the back, currently closed to repel the cold mid-winter air. The class itself was warm, and rather stuffy, due to the heater positioned at the back of the class, but no-one wanted to receive the coldness in consequence with the wanted fresh air. As such, the windows remained closed, and the heater on, and the students present allowed their minds to slip into a slight haze in the warm environment.

The room was mostly void of decor; simply the usual desks, chairs and chalkboard furnished it. The desks were arranged by rows, five rows of six desks each with enough space between each two for someone to slip between, forming two thin aisles down the room, with the end desks against the wall. The teacher's desk was slightly longer, and stood apart at the front of the room, in front of the black board which was attached about waist height off the ground, the small ledge under it containing variant chalks and an eraser.

The teacher stood in front of the class, as he usually did at the beginning of any period. Most were present, and occupying themselves by either conversing quietly or enjoying the warmth, snuggled under the many layers they adorned and stifled under the heat that the classroom contained. Except Kouji, who looked as though he was waiting for something, or someone.

Said boy looked up as the door opened. Coincidently, his first period class, mathematics, was the only one he shared with his brother, thus the fact that he was absent from it was not missed by the younger twin. Though the incident which had landed the elder twin in the hospital had passed well over a month ago, Kouji couldn't help but remember his strange reaction when he had brought up the topic of Lucemon's defeat, as well as the odd conversation which had taken place at the hospital.

Neither one of them had brought up the topic again after that, Kouji choosing to leave his brother in the contentment of his sketchbook's return, and consequently the return of the memories of his past.

But he was concerned, because even after the incident, and the resultant shocks, had passed, there was something wrong. Something Kouichi wasn't telling him...

'Kimura-kun,' their teacher, Sujiyama Osamu, stated, not exactly scolding but rather close. Had it been another student, it probably would have been. 'You're late.'

The younger twin leaned sideways on his chair to catch a glimpse of his brother as the elderly male was blocking his view. All he could see was the forest green that was the light jacket he normally threw over the rest of his outfit, before that too vanished as the one wearing it shifted, presumably into a bow, as his voice seemed lower to the ground as he spoke.

'Gomen nasai Sensei,' he murmured, in his usual quiet tone, though no person, student or teacher, had a problem hearing the words due to the current pin-drop silence which currently stifled the classroom save the teacher and student exchange. 'There was a delay on the Yamanote train line.'

'Well...' the teacher moved aside to let Kouichi in. 'See that you don't make a habit of this Kimura-kun.'

'Hai Sensei.' The elder twin bowed again (presuming of course that he had bowed the previous time) before hurrying over to the only vacant seat in the room, coincidently the one between his younger brother and the wall.

Kouji's eyes followed the elder twin as he placed the books he needed for the first three periods on the table, before slipping into the seat quietly, eyes darting to meet the younger for a split second before he diverted his gaze to the front. The younger twin's brow furrowed; he was sure something was different, but his still slightly preoccupied-by-sleep mind seemed currently incapable of piecing the pieces before him together, so he filed the feeling away for future reference and reverted his attention to the front of the classroom.

And it was only as the teacher continued his lecture and the general hubbub picked up again did he realise what was wrong with the picture.

The black bound scrapbook was no-where to be seen.

* * *

Second period. Science. And Kouji was thrown for a loop for the third time that day, and none too happy that his brother had managed to slip past him during the end of first. Now how that had happened, he had no idea...though he supposed it had something to do with the fact that he had once possessed the spirits of darkness, as well as a certain knack, for lack of a better term, of slipping past people unseen.

Whether that was a good or bad thing overall was anyone's guess.

And so he resigned himself to trying to track down the older twin during the lunch break.

* * *

Kouichi breathed freely once he was out of range of the other's vision. Being twins, the two were rather perceptive when it came to something bothering one or the other, and that sometimes complicated matters when neither were willing to tell, though in the end, they were always found out, Kouichi by unspoken means, and Kouichi by the help of his odd knack of sneaking around unseen sometimes coupled with a certain goggle-head's help.

And Kouichi knew that Kouji was well aware something was out of the ordinary. And that sooner or later the others, close as they were, would begin to catch on as well.

But that was a confrontation he would rather avoid. And so he did his utmost to avoid it. After all, he had seen his brother's anger, his hatred, his anguish...even if they had not intentionally been directed at him, or explicitly, and the matter was unfortunately intrinsically complex; it was after all, only with his second near death experience had he been able to concretely define the situation he now found himself in. And even then, not fully.

But in keeping silence, the darkness would one day speak out.

And when that time came, for good or ill, they would all know. And they would judge. Judge him...or them perhaps is more technically accurate.

What can it be called when the murderer and the murdered are the same soul, bonded by spilt blood, scanned data and the touch of death which forever connects a soul to the spiritual plane while at the same time making the link to the physical one permanent?

* * *

'Kouichi, what's wrong?' he asked the elder twin as soon as he finally caught up with him after school, the elder twin having not shown up for lunch due to reasons he chose to leave unsaid.

The addressed stopped walking and turned back, resigned but hiding it well. 'What brought this on?' he asked, confusion lacing his voice. Had the younger twin been playing closer attention to his tone rather than worrying about everything else, he would have realised the forced perplexity, but as it was, he didn't, which Kouichi was visibly grateful for, although not when anyone was around to see it.

Kouji sighed, knowing his brother was a hard shell to crack, and a direct question would rarely illicit a direct response. 'Where's your sketchbook?' he asked instead.

'Why are we answering questions with questions?' was the reply.

The younger twin shrugged. 'You tell me, you're the one who started it.'

'True.' The elder then resumed walking, Kouji following for a few paces before realising they were both heading in the wrong direction.

'Hey!' he exclaimed. 'We're going the wrong way.'

'No,' the other rebuked, continuing to walk in the same direction. 'You are. I'm not.'

Normally, Kouichi would stop by the library after school, and since it was a block away from Kouji's house, they would walk home together. Thus the fact that he was breaking their normal routine, simply put, brought Kouji more concern.

'You're not stopping by the library today?'

The other shook his head, pausing about a metre away seeing as though the younger twin wasn't following him.

'Why not?' Concern overlayed his voice, and it wasn't lost on the older twin.

'Kouji,' he sighed. 'Just because I deviate from my usual routine doesn't mean that something's wrong.'

'True,' the other acknowledged. 'But-'

'I need to get home,' his brother interrupted, rather uncharacteristically, seeing as though he was always _extremely_ polite, and rarely cut of anyone in the middle of a sentence, much less his brother. 'Mata ashita ne.'

By the time Kouji got over the shock of his brother's out-of-characterness, for lack of a better term, Kouichi had long vanished into the crowd.

* * *

Kouichi slipped his key into the lock while giving an inward sigh of relief for having dodged the bullet, for the time being at least.

He had been slightly surprised when no-one had answered his knocks, but simply assumed his mother to still be at the hospital while at the same time suppressing the rising worry within him. After all, he was early, and Tomoko's shifts were becoming increasingly later, so combining the two, it was quite probable that she was yet to arrive home from work.

The key turned smoothly in the lock, the door opening under his touch to reveal the dim apartment hallway, shadows cast on the wall due to the orientation of the windows. He stepped over the threshold and closed the door behind him, bending down to untie his shoelaces like he normally did upon returning from school, only his mother was usually home and he greeted her first.

She wasn't, but he expected her to be home soon, and then there were the dishes to deal with, left over from their breakfast and preparing lunch for the simple reason that neither could afford to wash them and be late for their respective destinations...although Kouichi had wound up being late anyway due to the train delay.

He shrugged off his backpack, leaning it against the wall and tossing his navy blue jacket on top, before pulling his sleeves to his elbows and turning the faucet on.

After all, he had, in a sense, lied to his brother, or at the very least, given him the wrong impression. Because there was no real reason for him to be at home save the sanctuary the four walls provided from the outside world.

Because only in darkness and silence could secrets be kept.

And even then, not fully, because curiosity was one of the fallibilities of human character. And after all, as they say, curiosity killed the cat.

Though it was rather safe to assume that satisfaction will not, in this case, bring it back. Because with the complexities wrought about his silence, it may just be better off not knowing...

* * *

His mother came home about ten minutes later, the weariness sinking into her very bones even as she tried to keep herself in a condition to be able to support her son. It was strange; many secrets existed in their walls, safe for the time being from the outside world. In some cases, like his, the walls kept the secrets from each other, though it was possible, and even rather probable, that had his mother been in a healthier state than a slow deterioration of both the body and the mind, she would have noticed something.

As it was, her exhaustion after the long hours of work she was forced to endure generally led her to bed after her domestic duties had been taken care of. Once Kouichi had found out, he helped as much as he could to lessen the load, but in relation to her work, and her health, he could do nothing, and she would not allow him to help further than cleaning up the house and doing the shopping by dropping out of school and finding a job to help sustain them both.

The suggestion had come up a few times over the course of the weekend, but had been immediately shot down by Tomoko, who insisted the elder twin focused on his studies and spent time with his friends so he could at least be happy, and when he graduated, preferably after completing a tertiary education, find a better paying job than what could be offered to a high school dropout.

She had done well in hiding it; it was only two afternoons ago that he had found out the source of the problems, though he had witnessed the symptoms for longer. It was only then did the two sit and talk, and Tomoko explained the cancer that would eventually take her life.

There had been silence for a long time afterwards, the walls that sanctioned them looking as though it would close in like the woman's already dug grave, figuratively speaking.

The topic was soon dropped, as it was bringing discomfort to both mother and son, and so the four walls guarded the secret brought out into the outer darkness but yet to come into the light, as the chronically ill woman had begged her older son to promise to keep the knowledge from the younger one. Kouichi had, understandable, been reluctant, but it hadn't taken much persuasion for him to relent and give his word, though that could be put more to the slowly settling shock of imminent death than much else.

Now, he stood in the relative darkness of his room. His sketchbook, the prized possession, was in his hands, withdrawn from its hiding spot from under a loose floorboard. The book was open, the drawing he had begun in the hospital complete; wings barely transparent in the background due to the darkened background, lightly shaded over with a mix of yellow and blue, yellow symbolising happiness and the blue, tranquillity, the mask that covered the truth beneath.

Then he slipped the book closed and back into its confines, replacing the floorboard and straightening again.

Soon after, he turned, his gaze sweeping past the door before focusing on the window, clasped shut and the heavy curtains covering the glass which served as a barrier between the inner and outer world. In his room at least, alone, he didn't have to pretend, to paint over the image with the colours of happiness and content. There, he could leave himself in the colours which naturally occurred, the black shadow obscuring him, the white light revealing him, and the intermediate, the most common and to the largest extent on the pastel which was his soul, the grey which represented a bleary nothingness...and far more.

Behind him, the lock clicked into place, as though enough force had been applied to the handle to cause it to fully shut.

He turned back to fixate the blue eyes upon the doorknob, if only to validate the cause, though he didn't need to see the white flash out behind him to know the presence of the almost transparent wings which expanded from his back.

Nor did he want to.

And despite how much he wished they did, he couldn't just shade the truth out of existence, applying colour to eliminate the crude greyness that was his future, and his present.

All he could do was conceal it. For now, till the colour faded to reveal the plain foundations of truth.

* * *

**Translations:**

_Gomen nasai_ – I'm sorry (formal)

_Hai_ – yes

_Sensei_ – A respectful way of addressing your teacher

_Mata ashita ne_ – I'll see you tomorrow (a bit informal)


	2. Speculation

**Author's Notes**

This story's been (finally) fully planned. It's ten chapters long, and here's chapter two out of ten.

Things are really going to pick up in chapter four, so please stay with me till then.

Thanks to everyone, and enjoy.

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 2 – Speculation**

_He started at the darkness that suddenly stifled him, as he seldom dreamt, and even when he did, they were dreams filled with light. Sometimes, it was joyous, bright; a happy family cloaked in childhood innocence, and in other times the light was agonizingly bright, and he was forced to remember the source of his power, and the repercussions thereof._

_Darkness itself was a new experience, save the one time event where Duskmon had scanned through his memories, and even then, it was as though the darkness remained outside while its power and reach searched inwards._

_And with all due respect to his brother's spirit, he by far did not appreciate the change. Darkness was an element by which he could not abide; even as a child he harboured an innate fear of sorts of it, though it was denied by his own unwillingness to accept such a fear, and as such, mostly overcome. However, the innateness remained, even more so as Duskmon's long uttered words still echoes, and the nearness to which the self-made prophecy had almost been fulfilled._

_And then there was the dim echoes of the past that haunted that darkness. The feeling of despair, of hollowness, of pain, when Lucemon's attack enclosed his brother's form and his hand scanned the digi-code and effectively killed him. Never mind that Kouichi had come out of the ordeal alive; the fear of losing him still lingered._

_And something about this darkness made him relieve that feeling._

_And the silence just made it worse, making the experience everlasting, and he was at his wits end before that silence was shattered._

_Afterwards, he would wish he had been more careful what he had wished for._

_'Pain. Sorrow. Despair. Death. The worlds are full of it.' It sounded like his voice, although it wasn't him talking, though there was something missing, something which would not enable him to put a name to the voice, though somewhat familiar as if it were something, or someone else, at the same time.' Darkness...that is what exists.'_

_Perhaps it was...but before the thought fully registered, another voice, this one keener to his heart, intervened._

_'There is also light,' another voice stated, this one more abstract, a tenor of slight adolescence mixed with a primitive digital echo, definitely masculine, but light and soft so that it sounded like the gentle wind chimes humming in the cool breeze fused with something...else. And it was familiar. He knew it, not together, but he knew the voice, having heard them separately before, but for the life of him he seemed unable to associate it with a name._

_'There is life,' the same voice continued. 'Love, joy, hope, aspiration...it is the coexistence of all that sustains the universe.'_

_ 'Not so much,' the first countered. 'Can you speak of life when you are not alive yourself?'_

_There was silence for a while, before the second replied. 'I am not dead.'_

_ 'Nor are you alive.'_

_No-one replied to that._

_ 'Look around.'_

_He looked._

_ 'See that. Darkness rules here.'_

_ 'Take a closer look.'_

_He did so, and spied the glimmer of light shining through his eyelids. His spirit lifted as the beacon beckoned to awakening, his heart became heavy as the darkness pressed closer._

_ 'Darkness is not something you can escape. And it will eventually lead to your destruction...and my rebirth.'

* * *

_

Kouji woke up disorientated, his head reeling from the weird dream that his mind had forced upon him. For the life of him he could not make head or tail of it, nor could he imagine what had caused it in the first place, having snuck upon him from literally nowhere...

His stepmother knocked on the door. 'Kouji, are you awake?'

'Hai...' he groaned, stumbling out of his bed and almost crashing into the bedside table.

'I'm making breakfast,' she continued on the other side of the door. 'How does pancakes sound?'

'Great 'kaa-san,' he said truthfully. 'I'll be down soon.'

'Okay.'

He heard her footsteps go down the stairs, before looking into the mirror and being glad his step-mother respected his privacy enough not to come into the room should he not invite her in; more than his father did, to be sure, though he too meant well.

He'd long since learnt to accept Satomi as a member of the family, and had even started calling her 'kaa-san as his father had requested. In his heart, she had a very special spot, as had his birth-mother, Tomoko. In fact, part of the acceptance came from the Digital World, and part else with how easily and well Kouichi and Tomoko bonded with her.

Any issues from the divorce and remarriage had long since evaporated by the time the two families met, and although it was awkward footing to be sure, they got off on the right foot and got better since.

Which they were all thankful for.

A slight yawn escaped him, as he tore his gaze away from the mirror and opened his door. Something about that dream was still bugging him; that is, bugging him more than the darkness, and the words exchanged. Something about the voices, both of which were familiar to him, though one more than the other.

Both which held portions of his heart, though perhaps in different senses of the term.

'Kouji.' It was his father this time. 'Are you done up there yet?'

'Not yet,' he called down. 'But I'll be down soon...'

'That'll be a first then...'

* * *

Kouichi blinked up at the ceiling, banishing the shadows of sleep from his eyes. He had an ever-so-slightly panicked expression on his face, which he immediately banished...well, that is, until he felt something ticking his right ear and started again.

He listened carefully for any sound of his mother stirring, but heard nothing. Then he stood up, got rid of the covers, and let the wings stretch out behind him to their full extent, before forcing them back into submission.

He knew they didn't show themselves during normal sleep; if he had, they would have been discovered. They had, in fact, only shown themselves in the aftermaths of a few nightmares which plagued him in scattered sleeps, perhaps one in a fortnight at most, however, none had been as this.

This nightmare...it seemed like he had been watching it from someone else's view. Reaching for them, but a barrier blocking him from helping efficiently. Someone...

...Kouji. It felt to familiar to be anyone else.

He walked over to the door and opened it, surprised at the light which shone.

The hallway light, which he had left on for his mother before going to bed, so she wouldn't come home to a dark apartment so late at night.

And judging from the fact that it was still on, she hadn't come home at all.

Just on cue, the phone rang.

'M-'kaa-san?'

* * *

Kouji was not one to arrive early; indeed, that was the elder twin's job, which is why all witnesses, Kouichi included, were quite surprised to find the younger twin waiting as the elder slipped through the gates, even more so seeing as he had arrived a little earlier than he normally did.

That is to say of course, everybody save Kouji himself.

'Ohayou gozaimasu,' the elder greeted softly, blue eyes indiscreetly scrutinising his brother's face.

'Hi,' the other replied shortly, forgoing the more polite Japanese for English, a bit like the sarcastic greeting he normally gave the over-enthusiastic Takuya early morning, however it was rather odd for him to use the same greeting on his brother.

'Didn't sleep well.' It wasn't a question, but a statement, and they both new it. Merely an observation, a speculation as one other than the two might assume, but if it were so, it was an accurate one.

The longer-haired twin shrugged noncommittally, prompting a soft, almost inaudible sigh from the other. But he didn't say anything; neither did, because that would have sparked another bout of questions from which either nothing, or everything, would have been revealed.

But he at least knew the dream. He had been there, so to speak, and he had seen it. Kouji however, all he had to go on was his own speculations, directed, whether wayward or not, by the sudden dream which had pierced his otherwise dreamless sleep, and his own observations.

And so both twins let the silence stifle them, for the time being. And while it was comforting, neither was comforted.

After all, even as the quiet darkness kept their secrets, or rather, _his _secrets, it also kept their fear. Divided, yet somehow linked with a common ancestry.

An ancestry which would soon seed branches to others as well.

After all, as intertwined as their souls were, despite his being technically on a separate plane, it could not help but be eventually so that the light would reveal what the darkness held in its sanctuary.

At such times, the truth could be both a blessing and a curse.

And then he couldn't help but twitch slightly as the younger twin's penetrating glare, muscles tightening of their own accord and focus sharpening and converging to play their part in keeping the covenant of quiescence.

* * *

Kouji's eyes narrowed slightly as his brother twitched slightly under the steady gaze, the blue eyes a shade darker than his own seemingly focused on...something.

_What are you hiding?_ He thought, but he didn't bother saying it out loud, as he knew it would be useless. He was sure the other was hiding something still, but while no proof came into his hands, or else Kouichi refrained from informing him, he would have to do with speculations.

And if he had paid attentions to his surroundings and noted the arrivals of four others, he would have realised he wasn't the only one doing as such.

Distantly, he heard the bell ring and his brother follow its call. He sighed, heading for the entrance. Another day of school. One of the hardest he thought, as his focus was elsewhere.

Later, he would look back and laugh, because the current situation was simply the calm before the storm.

* * *

Takuya, Izumi, Junpei and Tomoki stared as the twins wondered separately off to their respective classes.

The brunette looked tempted to follow, but seeing as they were in two separate directions, not to mention that if he did, he would find himself sitting in another detention, he settled with an annoyed huff.

'So now not only is Kouichi acting weird, but Kouji is too,' he grumbled. 'As if one wasn't enough.'

'Come on Takuya,' the blonde chided, before sighing a little herself. 'I wonder what's wrong with him?'

'Who?' Tomoki blinked up curiously at her.

'Kouichi-kun.' She sighed again. 'I think it's rather obvious to anyone with half a brain.'

'I don't get you,' Takuya stated flatly.

'That's no surprise,' the half-Italian snorted.

'Uh, Izumi?'

'Yes?'

'I don't get you either, and I doubt you'd accuse me of lacking more than half of my brain.'

She stared at Junpei, then at Tomoki's agreeing nod, then finally at Takuya's triumphant smirk. Then she sighed. Again.

'Boys...' she muttered under her breath, before proceeding to explain. 'Kouichi-kun said that Kouji didn't sleep well, and if you assume he knows something's wrong, which he should really know better than the rest of us, it would be enough to make anyone act out of character eventually.'

They fell silent to let that stew.

Well...that was the intention anyway, until a teacher on duty chased them to their respective classes.

* * *

He just stared at the blank paper before him. Second period. Art class. Usually a piece of cake, but not lately.

The pencil hovered, itching to draw to his heart's content, but he pulled his hand back before it touched the paper.

It wasn't that he was afraid of the truth, though there was no denying he was. The pages of his sketchbook, his prized sentiment which still remained under the loose floorboard at home and away from the eyes of all others, including himself, was enough to picture what he already saw.

Perhaps he didn't understand, but then what was there to at that point. Their data, his and the better part of Lucemon's programme that is, had somehow merged in the scanning process. Both had been destroyed, killed for the lack of a more accurate term, and his body, its last ties cut from his soul, remained comatose and clinically dead upon the operating table.

But the tears of his friends and the light of Ophanimon had revived him, and by reviving the spectral form his digital-self had taken, the "good" half of Lucemon's spirit had also been reborn, and assimilated into his own DNA structure.

Others remained woefully ignorant of it; he would have been too, had the wings not been an obvious indication. And of course, the above is simply theoretical; he had no proof, nor did he truly want it.

But the main problem was that he didn't want to face the concequences of it. Good or no, Lucemon had killed countless digimon, including two of his own faithful followers. Lucemon had destroyed the entire digital world and threatened to do the same to the real one. Lucemon had killed him, and earned the hatred of his brother.

And now...Lucemon was him.

He sighed silently, then looked again at his paper. Perhaps white was better; a new beginning, a new possibility, a new life.

Perhaps he could draw away the truth.

But even as the pencil touched the paper again, he knew he couldn't, because what emerged from the sketched lines was so...fake.

He gave a low groan of frustration and gave up on the image.

* * *

Izumi's head shot up at the sound of Kouichi's frustrated groan. The teacher, Hayashi Mai, moved over to the location of the groan as Izumi, slightly worried about the uncharacteristic display but knowing better than to speak out of place in Hayashi-sensei's class, returned to her own paper.

'Kimura-kun?' The elegant black-haired lady looked over his shoulder at the drawing he had, till then, been working on. 'It's not your usual style,' she commented, raising an almost-concerned eyebrow. 'Is there a reason for that?'

He shook his head, but it didn't look very convincing.

Smiling slightly, she put a hand on his shoulder. 'Don't try to draw what your heart's not in,' she advised, before withdrawing to check up on the other students.

Izumi was distractedly adding colour to her butterfly when Mai appeared over her shoulder. 'Nice,' she commented. 'Escellent work Orimoto-chan.'

The blonde blinked, before flushing slightly. It was unlike her teacher to be sarcastic. 'Gomen,' she bowed while remaining seated. 'My mind's just not hear today.'

The teacher smiled fully. 'Well then Orimoto-chan,' she laughed, moving away. 'I like where your mind is then.'

Izumi returned to her drawing, seeing the butterfly flying freely in the air. Then she glanced towards Kouichi's, before he folded it neatly to be thrown away, and she understood what Hayashi-sensei had meant.


	3. Differentiation

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 3 – Differentiation**

_It was starting to become rather frustrating, waking to find himself lost in darkness which seemed to have plans which currently served better without his knowledge. He hated being out of the loop, and he hated even more being in a situation wherein he was all but powerless._

_However, there was always something unnerving about the situation at a whole, starting with that sketchbook obsession his brother had and peaking with the whole river disaster and levelling off from there._

_However, something about that darkness just...hurt. There was no other way to describe it. And he couldn't tell exactly what it was about the darkness that pained him so, because he knew it wasn't the darkness itself, but the revelation it shielded._

_There was something else too, a premonition of sorts. Telling him something bad was going to happen, something that he was going to do, or be done...but the perspective was wrong, all wrong, even if the premonition lingered in the unyielding darkness, taunting, and yet telling him nothing._

_And he had a funny feeling his brother had something to do with it.

* * *

_

'This is ridiculous,' he groaned to himself, breaths coming out in strained gasps as the humidity of his blankets (consequently from his less than restful sleep) stifled him. What in the world was making him think his brother was involved in insane dreams, simply because he was the Warrior of Darkness?

But as he shoved the covers off himself and stumbled out of bed in the semi-darkness, something was telling him it wasn't so silly a notion after all.

He figured he'd just ask at school that day.

Provided he made it through the rest of the night with sufficient rest.

* * *

It was starting to become a new habit of the two, Kouji arriving before his brother. Which is why those around were thrown for a loop _again_ when he hadn't shown up before the bell beckoned them all to class.

Except Kouichi, who knew exactly why his brother was late.

And indeed, he was late, as he showed up halfway through first period, much to his teacher's chagrin. And it was pure luck that saved him from a detention.

And his brother and Takuya who saved him from the rest of the possibilities that arose that day. Mostly by poking him awake, though the brunette sometimes resorted to pulling on his ponytail when fingers to the side stopped producing results.

* * *

'You're going the wrong way?' Kouji asked, unsure as his brother trailed after him once the bell rang, signalling the end of the school day, which was mercifully only half its usual length thanks to it being Saturday. Lately, Kouichi had been going straight home, so he couldn't tell whether the other was genuinely going the opposite direction, was following him for some reason, or was heading for the library.

'Library,' the elder twin muttered, looking as preoccupied as the other. 'There isn't many good fantasies in the local one.'

'Good by your definitions you mean.'

'Hai.'

They walked a little in silence after that, neither one really in the mood for discussion, though Kouji could feel his brother's eyes on him the entire way, and the even footsteps behind him maintaining a careful distance.

Then he remembered something and came to a stop, causing the other to halt as well.

'Is something wrong Kouji?' Kouichi asked, concerned.

'Have you been having any weird dreams lately?' the other burst out, wanting the question out of his mouth as soon as possible.

There was a pause, then the noise of shuffling feet, then his brother came around from behind him to look carefully into his face.

'Weird as in how?' he questioned, looking carefully at the tired eyes, making the other feel a little uncomfortable.

'Weird as in...weird,' the younger twin said hesitantly, as his brother broke eye contact and turned slightly to hide behind his bangs a little, pulling the light jacket a little tighter around him as he pondered an answer.

'No,' he said finally, and in a tone that left no room for scepticism. 'No weird dreams.' _At least not my definition of weird_, he thought immediately afterwards, but he didn't say that out loud.

'Oh.' Kouji resumed his walk, as the other let him pass before falling into step behind him.

'Have you?'

'What?' He stopped again, this time prompting the other to crash into him and mutter an apology, otherwise ignoring the surprise.

'What made you say something like that?' he demanded, now a little worried, though he should have known his brother could read him like a children's cartoon.

Unfortunately, in the position they were in, he couldn't see the other's face. And as he tried to discreetly peer into the other's face, his brother passed him and crossed the road.

He was so focused in that, that he almost missed the reply.

'You would not have asked otherwise.'

By the time the reply registered, his brother was already across the road and the other tore after him. Luckily, there were no cars on the road at the time, as he hadn't looked both ways before crossing...which he noted only after his brother yelled at him for it.

He knew his brother, but still, day by day, he would do something to surprise him. Perhaps it was the complexity of his character, the intricate levels of human design, or possibly it had something to do with his spirit...or maybe they were both one and the same when it came to defining a person.

But some things, like his sometimes rather odd sense of logic and the way he stated things that made it difficult to tell the difference between a straight answer, a vague one and a downright lie, he'd never fully get.

And not only that, but his _method_ of lying was rather odd as well, and had a habit of confusing and deterring everybody involved, including him.

But at the time, it was the logic which threw the other off.

'I could have been concerned about you,' he said defensively, after the two brothers had moved away from the recklessness of crossing a street without checking both ways.

'If you had, you wouldn't have been nearly as hesitant,' the other said flatly, turning up the steps to enter the library.

'I could have changed my tone,' he rebuked, dropping his voice as they entered the reception area, but as soon as the words were out of his mouth, the argument sounded feeble. His brother could confuse truth and lie with subtly manipulating voice, not him, who instead hid the both behind the same fragment of ice, though no longer in front of his family and friends. Which is why it suddenly became so _difficult_ to hide the growing darkness from them.

'You're coming with me?' Kouichi asked instead, not even bothering to grace the feeble argument with a reply. 'I thought you don't like libraries.'

'I don't,' the other shrugged, following his brother as he examined the bookshelves, looking for a selection. 'But I don't want to go home right now. There's nothing to do. Not even homework for once.'

'Hmm...' Kouichi murmured distractedly, pulling out a book and scanning over the blurb, before replacing it. 'Me neither.'

'Why not?'

''kaa-san's working double-shift. She won't be home till about eleven.'

He switched to the next bookshelf, finding that everything on the first was either uninteresting or already read, picking out a book from the second that was neither and making off to the couches.

'Want to sleep over tonight then? You haven't been over in awhile.'

That was true, but once the offer was in the air, both realised it may have been a mistake.

Especially when the other accepted it without a thought.

* * *

Kouji had hoped that the change in topic meant that he was off the hook, but unfortunately he found himself sorely mistaken, because the book remained unopened in his brother's lap as be brought the subject round again.

'You've been dreaming,' he said flatly, not really leaving much room for argument.

'You say that like you have proof,' the other grumbled.

'I do.'

Hang on a sec...

'What?' he yelled, only to be shushed by the librarian at the desk. 'Sorry,' he muttered thereafter, before glaring at his brother.

'How did you know about those nightmares?' he spluttered, more quietly so that he wasn't thrown out of the building, as the other avoided his eyes and opened the book to the first chapter instead.

'Your reaction said it all,' he replied, a little absent-mindedly as his blue eyes flew across the page. 'And I never mentioned anything about nightmares.'

'So you didn't have proof before that?' Kouji asked, now plain annoyed that he had fallen for such a simple trick, and even more so for now having to explain.

'I didn't say that,' his brother replied, turning the page. But to the other's surprise, he didn't ask any further questions.

Silence stretched awhile after that, broken only by the pages turning, faster and faster till it was making the ex-warrior of light dizzy just looking at the book. Honestly, how could a person read that fast?

But as he looked at the preoccupied look that graced his brother's face, he thought that _maybe_ he wasn't reading at all, but thinking about something else.

Which was proven correct as the book suddenly snapped shut.

'All right, what's up with you?' Kouji snapped, though not unconcerned.

'Huh?' Kouichi looked up at him, and for a moment, their eyes met. Everything looked normal, but Kouji couldn't help but think there was something _shut_ within the sapphire irises which normally told an ocean's tale. Hell, they looked a little _too_ much like his own before the Digital World for him to be entirely comfortable with it.

Then Kouichi returned his gaze to his book, and he couldn't help but wonder if it was a reflection of his own eyes he saw.

'The storyline's getting old,' he sighed, staring at the cover before standing up and returning it to the shelf and scanning the shelves for a new title. 'Too clichéd.'

'That wasn't what I meant,' his brother growled, none too happy about how the other was avoiding the topic. 'Ever since I've known you, you always either skirt away from the edges or just flat out lie when something's bothering you. And something's been bothering you for _ages_.'

Kouichi didn't move, fingers frozen in search for a new book. 'Is this about the sketchbook?'

'It's about a lot more than the damn sketchbook,' the other snapped, louder than was strictly necessary and prompting the librarian to shush him again. 'But we'll start with that. You used to take it everywhere, and you were so damn overprotective of it, but lately it's been MIA. And don't even think of telling me you grew out of it,' he added, seeing his brother open his mouth.

'I wasn't going to,' Kouichi replied, though he sounded a tad uncomfortable. 'It's safer at home.'

'From?'

A sigh, then he lifted his hand and turned back to his brother. 'Do you remember what I told you?' he asked. 'When you asked why I drew?'

'Yeah. You said you drew so you could remember.'

'And you said after that there are something that are better forgotten.'

'_So_?' Clearly, Kouji was getting tired of beating around the bush.

'And after that, I told you that you already knew.'

And before the younger twin could open his mouth, the elder cut him off.

'I was wrong.'

'Huh?' The confusion fell from his lips before his mind even registered it.

'I was wrong,' Kouichi repeated in his quiet voice. 'There _are_ things that are better forgotten, and I can only realise that when they slap me in the face. You were telling me how you all defeated Lucemon. I didn't want to know.'

'I gathered that from your reaction,' the other said dryly, grabbing his brother's elbow and steering him away. 'You're not going to find a book like that. Let's just go home.'

And as he dragged him down the steps, he continued the previous conversation. 'Why not?'

'Why I didn't want to know?'

'Yeah.'

He turned away, sliding out of his brother's grasp and walking on his own.

'The dead have eyes you know,' he said more sadly than the outside situation warranted. 'I don't want to see your hatred again.'

'What the hell?' Kouji exclaimed, luckily past the library's vicinity or he would be currently facing the old lady's wrath. 'I've got every right to hate that-'

He was suddenly cut off as Kouichi grabbed his elbow and dragged him across the next block with more force than was necessary.

'You're cutting of my circulation,' he gasped, in a slightly more placate way as he attempted to keep both feet on the ground and his emotions in check. _Bad idea_, he told himself. _To go yelling at your Ni-san when you're trying to get a decent answer out of him._

'Gomen,' the other said in a strained voice, letting go. He still kept his back to the other though so Kouji could only guess at his expression.

'What were you doing anyhow?'

'Dragging you to bed and making sure you stay there.'

'At two-thirty? Why?'

'Because you're getting crabby.'

'Hey!'

* * *

Somehow or other, Kouichi did manage to drag his _little_ brother home and upstairs to bed with minimal complaints.

And in his dreams, now impossible to refuse, only the face of an angel showed.


	4. Progression

Sorry for the late update.

Replying to the review from 'Your name here,' I actually hadn't known that as around here, students start switching classrooms for almost all subjects by sixth grade and most of the warriors are now in ninth. I'm assuming though that doesn't apply for electives, so just assume Science is one (along with math, language and art). Our school did plan to do that at one stage, but it fell through the roof because the result was a three person class and a 75 person one. So science is an elective, so classes are different from the homeroom ones (do they even have electives in Japan? I hope so, otherwise things really get confusing).

Enjoy.

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 4 – Progression**

He woke to the sound of someone humming a lullaby he distantly remembered like the feel of a soft hand running through hair or the soft touch caressing skin, a part of a world mostly forgotten as it was replaced with newer memories...but at the same time, it sounded vaguely different.

Lazily, for the first time in a while feeling more refreshed than he had been before going to sleep, he opened his eyes, blinking as his eyes adjusted to the warm afternoon light, before focusing on his brother sitting at the edge as the melody changed to a gentle laughter.

'What are you laughing at?' he yawned, unwilling to move.

The elder twin shook his head. 'You complain about napping, then sleep through dinner.' The bed creaked as he stood to leave. 'Are you coming down or should I get something for you?'

'I'm not-' the other began, simply wanting to return to sleep, before his stomach protested his half-complete statement. He blushed, looking down at the offending organ before looking back at his brother's laughing gaze, though now as the darkness of sleep faded from his own blue orbs, he could see something akin in his brother's, along with the omnipresent shadow that lurked there and had become slightly more prominent in the last few months.

'You won't catch up a fortnight's worth of sleep without food,' Kouichi pointed out. 'You're letting your nightmares keep you from the sleep you need.'

'Again,' the younger twin groaned, lifting the covers off of himself and almost reluctantly dragging himself out of bed.

'I could just bring you something-'

'How do you know they started two-' He cut himself off as he realised he had fallen for the same simple trick _again_.

'You just admitted it,' the other replied redundantly.

'But still, it's too much of a coincidence that you just manage to _say_ the right things.'

Kouichi stoped by the door. 'That's not it,' he said quietly. 'It's easy enough to see.'

He was gone before the other could say anything else.

* * *

Perhaps on purpose, it had been Satomi who would up bringing the dinner up for him five minutes later so Kouji had to wait for answers. But the miso soup had made him sleepy again, and by the time the elder twin abandoned his vigil downstairs, the younger was far gone in sleep.

Two fragments, three hours apiece and for the most part uninterrupted, were making the sleeping boy look more refreshed, and yet he still looked exhausted and slightly apprehensive, brow furrowed slightly in preparation to blot out the visions that tormented him.

The elder twin frowned lightly, wondering as to the change. He knew the other had nightmares...or rather, he had assumed and the other verified, as his at times seemed to be from the other's point of view. He was sure they at least could not be his own as the perspective was simply...wrong. He remembered his fear of the darkness well, and this was not it. There was hate mixed in both accounts, but a different hate. And he could not imagine such a connection between anyone else.

And though he hadn't voiced his views out loud, his observations of his brother had revealed the same fear buried within and now worming its way outwards, simply in a different form. _His _hate did not come from darkness; if anything, it was the other way around. But for his twin, the brother of light, if the venom in his memories of the Demon Lord were any indication-

He stifled a yawn before removing the covers from his side of the bed and sliding into them, ignoring the brief flash of white as he pulled them close to his body to savour the heat when the night's winter chills attempted to sit, and closed his eyes and waited for the vulture to fly a shorter flight.

* * *

_It was a vague sense of déjà vu, two variants fighting as the two immovable forces attempted to direct the other into submission. It had taken a while for him to realise the two voices were actually variants of each other, one slightly lighter than the other...and it seemed to fit, as if you could pull the main issue into two sides of the debate, the former battled for the side of light while the latter, the darkness._

_Okay...that may not be exactly true, because there was a sense for want of balance too that didn't seem to fit into either of the two dreamworld personalities, as though there was another external force overseeing the events and choosing his most favourable outcome. But as is said, when two immovable forces meet, sooner or later, one is going to have to give._

_And the way things were going, it seemed that darkness had the leading edge, and was attaining more so by the day._

_What he failed to realise though, was the decline was linked to his own fear, and hatred..._

_The black masses of shapes suddenly shifted and he flinched away instinctively, not wanting to feel the cold touch, only to find the dim light which by day grew even duller curl around the darkness (or perhaps a perspective somewhere had shifted as the darkness was lessening) in a way that winged-figurines appeared to be cast on the plane, one side shades lighter than the other and the grey darkening like a gradient._

_And suddenly, something clicked. Light, darkness and wings were associated with only one being he knew...and the one he hated more than anything because of what it had taken (despite the fact that all had been renewed in the end): Lucemon._

_There was a saying that claimed lust dug the dead from the grave and hatred buried it. And it was doing both. Just not necessarily the way one expected._

_There was only two conclusions. Either he was losing his mind...or they had failed._

* * *

Kouichi awoke a half minute before his brother, which was fortunate as the younger opened his eyes to find the other's ocean eyes staring back at him, but otherwise, nothing else out of the ordinary.

'Why are you awake?' Kouji whispered softly so as not to disturb the remaining sleeping inhabitants of the house.

Kouichi shuffled under the sheets for a moment to get more comfortable, before whispering back: 'Morning I suppose. Dont wanna get up though.'

'Comfortable.'

'Mm-hmm.'

He closed his eyes again, enjoying the warmth trapped beneath the blankets...well, until the other flicked on the lights.

'It's too early for the lights,' the elder twin grumbled, wincing slightly at the sudden increase in exposure.

'It's too dark outside,' the other countered. 'It's still dawn.'

Kouichi cast the blankets aside and sat up, rubbing his eyes a bit and letting them adjust to the artificial luminescence before fully opening them. 'You normally don't have a problem seeing in this.' He frowned lightly, before letting a small smirk grace his face. 'Don't tell me my _ototo_ is scared of the dark? That was my job.'

'That's not it,' Kouji snapped, before realising he'd once again let something slip. 'How'd you know this time?'

'You did a horrible job at hiding it.'

The younger twin was quiet for a moment, before speaking again, almost hesitantly.

'How did you get over it?'

'Get over what?' the other asked.

'Get over your fear of darkness.'

The ex-warrior of darkness' mouth made a slight 'oh' in comprehension as he thought about that. 'I suppose it was when I was staring down Cherubimon-_sama_-'

'You still use that suffix? Why?'

'Huh?..Oh...well, I suppose because in a way, he taught me a lot of things, things that helped along the journey even when both he and I were misguided by other things. I can still respect him for that. And I suppose a force of habit...after all, he is a Celestial Digimon.'

'They have made their share of mistakes.'

'Haven't we all?' Kouichi sighed, finally getting off the bed. 'I can respect a man that realises those mistakes and tries to do something about them, even when it doesn't seem that way.'

'You're too forgiving _Ni-san_,' the younger muttered. 'But I don't think I could do so that easily.'

'That's the answer to your question then. Understanding and forgiveness.'

And before the other could say another world, he had snuck past and through the door. A moment later, the sound of a tap running could be heard from the bathroom.

'You know _Ni-san_,' Kouji sighed to himself, looking for a change of clothes. 'That's one of the most straight-forward answers you've given...and it still didn't make any sense.'

'Kouji!' His father yelled from the foot of the stairs. 'Turn the light off. You're wasting electricity.'

He flicked the switch, watching the room blacken before his eyes adjusted. Even after a few minutes though, the room looked washed out, shadows cast by various furniture and staining the walls, just like a more greyscale variation of his dream world...

He would have smirked to himself had it been any other situation. After all, his brother was the artist. He was the science guy, sticking with facts...save when it came to the Digital World...and his brother.

And the darkness, but he did not care to intentionally admit that. He could say to himself though, that it took quite a bit of self restraint to not turn the lights back on.

* * *

'Are you staying for lunch Kouichi?'

'No, I told _'kaa-san_ I'd be home by two.'

By the time Kouji got downstairs, the other three were already eating breakfast at the table, and discussing the day's plans.

'You guys could have waited,' Kouji grumbled, pouring himself some cereal, only to realise once done that some had spilled onto the counter...something that he well did not do, even if he couldn't get past the not-burned toast part of cooking. After all, doing such a blunder in a science experiment could be far more dangerous, depending on the chemicals involved.

Quickly, he swiped them into the disposer before adding milk, this time more slowly to make sure nothing spilt, before taking a seat with the bowel and a spoon and starting on it, before remembering something.

'Takuya said he was coming over.' Inwardly, he groaned. He really did not feel like playing soccer with the hyperactive brunette.

'I can ring 'kaa-san,' Kouichi offered, correctly reading the other's discomfort. Unlike Kouji, _he_ actually liked playing the sport with the ex-warrior of flame. 'See if she'll let me stay later.'

'Remember you both have school tomorrow,' their father reminded as both his brother and stepmother agreed, and the elder twin nodded and went for a phone.

Only to return a few minutes later looking confused. 'She didn't pick up,' he said, a hint of worry in his voice. 'The hospital said they're not expecting her for another hour, so I probably just missed her. I won't be able to reach her in time for an answer.'

'You could stay,' Satomi offered. 'I'm sure Tomoko wouldn't mind.'

Kouichi however shook his head. 'She had a double shift yesterday as well,' he admitted. 'I think it's pretty safe to say she hasn't cleaned up yet if she has a day shift today as well.'

'How much mess can one small apartment accumulate in a day?' the youngest twin wondered out loud.

The remaining three turned to him, before pointing at the barely eaten bowl. 'Eat!'

'Sheesh, I'm eating already.'

* * *

He dug the key out his pocket to open the door, the metal turning smoothly and the lock clicking without a hitch. What lay beyond was as empty as he had expected, and slightly dusty as no-one appeared to have gone passed the bedrooms and bathroom for more than twenty-four hours, and the breakfast dishes were still left in the sink (yesterday's breakfast dishes that was). Sometimes it really did seem remarkable how messy a place could lock when one abandons it in a rush and returns later...but his mother should have still been home for a few hours between the night and day shifts and he had expected at least the dishes to be done, even though he knew quite well there would have been no time for the dusting.

His mother forgetting to do the dishes, or perhaps not being in the mood to do so, wasn't the worst that could happen, but he was worried all the same. Despite protests from family, friends and work colleagues, she only ever skipped necessary chores (and sometimes not so necessary) when she was simply too exhausted or sick to do so. And she had been more tired than usual lately...though that could be attributed to the shortage of staff at the hospital and the remaining nurses working double shifts to compensate.

So he was probably worrying for nothing...which his grandmother, mother and himself had all insisted to the next youngest in lineage in turn. So that didn't really account for much.

But in any case, the dishes weren't going to wash themselves. And he didn't want to be the unfortunate soul left to scrub the brown from the pale pink walls...nor would he wish that upon anyone else...even if the two colours did make a rather interesting combination. It just wasn't hygienic, nor really suitable for the current situation. Natural beauty, peaceful love...the shadows cast on the walls due to the closed curtains said far more truth.

But that didn't change the fact that the dishes needed washing. So he opened the latch and the window itself, before turning on the taps.

Halfway through and with soap buds to his elbows, the phone rang, the sudden sound of which caused him to almost jump out of his skin and accidently cut his thumb on the butter knife while he was at it.

He quickly dried his hands, being careful not to smear the thin droplets of blood on the towel, before fetching the phone.

'Kimura residence,' he said into the receiver.

/Kouichi-_kun_,/ a breathless voice responded from the other line. /It's Tomoko.../

His brain froze, although his voice was still working, rather urgently too. 'What is it Kiyomi-_san_?' he asked urgently. 'Is she okay?'

There was a hesitant pause on the other end. /She collapsed at the station,/ she replied eventually, sounding as though she _really_ didn't want to be the one to tell the boy this. /The doctors think the cancer's reaching it's final stages-/

He never heard the rest of her words, the receiver already fallen from his limp hand.

* * *

**Post Author's Notes**

The reason Kouji didn't have a nightmare in his nap was because Kouichi was awake. Notice with the other nightmares that both were sleeping at the same time (in this story, they both have the sleeping patterns though it is deterrent from the normal clashing system). It has to do with the degree of subconsciousness acting on both parts, so both have to be asleep for both to see/feel in that detail, and that creates the dreams/nightmares. Kouichi's more used to it than Kouji because he's dealt with it longer and also because he is the Warrior of Darkness and sleep is one of it's secondary powers (ie. Powers apart from evolving).When Kouichi is awake, it doesn't impact Kouji's subconsciousness that much, so there's no disruption...well, hardly any. Sleeping people still pick up stimuli from outer surroundings and their dreams can reflect that, so Kouji's angel at the end of the last chapter is explained in this one.

To make things simpler, I'll split up the main secondary powers (for this story) here (not everything shows up, but these things go towards shaping their characters):

Darkness: aids sleep/rest/healing, night vision, inner perception (which leads to acceptance/change), deception, agility

Light: aids awakeness/alertness, focus, speed, outer perception, fear (ie. Got to do with flight/fight response)

Fire: Outer strength (not only physical), fear, outer perception (less than light), agility (different manner to light)

Ice: Inner strength, precision, speed (depending), outer/inner perception, focus

Thunder: aids acceptance/change, outer/inner perception, deception (lesser degree to darkness), alertness

Wind: Agility, speed, inner perception (to a lesser degree of darkness), fear (same as fire), aids sleep (depending) or alertness (again depending) (lesser extent to darkness/light)

You'll note that some overlap, so in other words, none are purely independent, but light and darkness are the two cores which form the foundation from which the others stem.

Remember Lucemon though when thinking about the above. It will eventually be clearer.


	5. Decision

**Author's Notes**

I don't think teens are allowed to technically get part-time jobs in Japan, but I'm seizing creative licence for the purpose of this story. Minimum wage in Japan is ¥642 an hour (about AUS$7.40), so that's what I'm going by.

I'm going to love the next chapter. Two idiotic twins being...well idiots. Honestly, both tend to be rather blind when it comes to certain things.

Anywho, enjoy.

And I can start the chapter countdown now

**Chapters remaining after this:** 5

Please R&R.

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Decision**

Four ex-legendary warriors were waiting for the bell to ring. Ordinarily, that wouldn't be odd, except they were missing two of their number.

They waited, chatted about mundane things and ranted (in Takuya's case) about the upcoming testing period, and then waited some more. Soon enough, the bell rang, signalling the start of a new day and week, and neither twin had showed up.

They met again at lunch. Still no twins.

Back to class, then a regrouping in the foyers outside the homeroom where three of their members went.

And still no twins.

'They seriously didn't show up?' Takuya said incredulously. 'That's...unusual.'

'Satomi-san picked up Kouji's cell phone,' Junpei put in. 'Apparently, she decided to keep Kouji at home for today so he wouldn't be acting like the zombie Kouichi dragged home on Saturday.'

'What zombie?'

Izumi rolled her eyes. 'Don't you boys _look_ at anything or anyone closely? Sure he was doing a pretty good job of hiding it, but the dark circles under his eyes are a bit of a giveaway. Not to mention he was a little slower than usual.'

'You must have x-ray vision,' Takuya grumbled. 'It's not possible to notice all that.'

'It must be,' the blonde shot back, flicking her mane of hair back. 'After all, I bet Kouichi noticed. What about Kouichi?'

That question was directed to Junpei, who had apparently being calling the twins during the lunch break.

'No answer,' the eldest of the gang shrugged. 'I called three times to make sure.'

'Maybe you should try again,' Tomoki suggested. 'They might have been busy.'

He did so, coming up with the same results.

'Maybe he's sleeping,' the youngest suggested, thinking of all rational possibilities. 'Or had a Doctor's appointment or something.'

'Maybe.' Izumi, being the observant girl she is, sounded rather doubtful.

* * *

'Where were you?' Takuya demanded, for once early after having to chaperone his brother to camp before school began.

'Overslept.' No need to tell him the rest.

'Seriously?'

'Yes. Seriously,' Kouichi deadpanned.

Takuya still looked disbelieving though. 'When did you wake up?'

'One,' the elder twin replied, still in the same monotone, neglecting to mention that he had fallen asleep on the hospital chair at eleven that morning, completely forgetting about school as he kept a temporary vigil over his mother while awaiting the Doctor's confirmation.

'In the afternoon?'

'Yes.'

'Geeze, how'd you sleep that long.'

'No alarm.'

'Hi guys!'

The twenty questions were interrupted by the arrival of Izumi and Tomoki, with Kouji trailing behind them.

'Kouchi,' Izumi exclaimed. 'Why didn't you come yesterday?'

'Overslept,' the elder twin repeated, as the younger stared, looking perkier than the two had last seen each other.

'Seriously?'

'I already asked him that,' Takuya interrupted, only to be himself interrupted. By both the arrival of Junpei and the bell.

* * *

He returned back to their apartment that afternoon, if only to get a shower and change of clothes. That took only half an hour, and he was ready to leave the dull grey apartment (having drawn the blinds shut before last leaving) when someone knocked on the door.

Curious and slightly apprehensive (it wasn't the normal time for someone to be visiting), he opened it, only to find three unfamiliar people behind it; two males and a female each with the same cross of sympathy and sternness on their faces.

'We're from Child Welfare Services,' the woman began. 'It has come to our attention that your current guardian is in the hospital fighting terminal cancer and as such is currently unable to provide for you...'

His hand tightened on the doorknob, knuckles turning white against the already pale skin.

'As there is still a chance for recovery, and emergency funds put aside for this purpose,' one of the males cut in. 'If you can find a way to sustain this apartment as your current living quarters in this situation and your mother survives, we'll leave the circumstances alone. If however, you fail to keep the apartment, or your mother dies, then we will take you to a foster home or orphanage, depending on the situation.'

He struggled to find his voice for a moment. 'But...my father...'

'Surrendered all rights to guardianship with the divorce,' the third cut in. 'We'll be back in two weeks. Have a nice day.'

And with that, the three left, leaving the door double-functioning as a support for both apartment and occupant.

* * *

Really, he should have known the little peak of sleep and activity was the rise before the fall, because by the end of the week, he found that nothing seemed to spare him from the shadows following. By Wednesday, nights were utterly useless in their gift of sleep and rest, waking him before his mind could even peacefully drift off into oblivion for reasons forgotten the moment his eyes opened to another sort of darkness.

He thought perhaps they were night terrors; he had read in one of his science books that they were known for being forgotten upon awakening...or perhaps it was something else, a stem off of his nightmares, or something dripping into his waking world.

It was amazing how fast the darkness caused him to lose his calm composure.

By Thursday, the temperature in his little bubble he called the world had dropped, leaving him to compress the involuntary shivers that escaped at times. Everything seemed a little darker and foggier than usual, and it seemed that his brother was distracted with something (more so than usual), barely making it on time himself and running off as soon as school finished, because that left Takuya to drag him through his classes.

Friday, neither twin showed up for school again. By then, the remaining four were positive several things were going on.

* * *

He should have been at school hours ago, but the sudden drop in his mother's health had held him back. She was unconscious now, comatose to be exact, and according to the doctors, there was little hope of her ever waking up unless death waited behind the door.

In other words, they had all missed their chance for a conscious goodbye.

The phone, a patient's line technically but a bit useless when said patient was comatose, sat innocently at the table, mocking him, reminding him how his brother must have felt to find his brother dead after hoping to spend a lifetime with him. Thinking how he would feel to find his mother, the one he had pined after for years, in a similar state.

On the other hand, there was the promise he had made. So much like the one he had demanded of his friends, and only now that he was on the receiving end did he see the ugly red scratches they drew over the picture of the world.

Thinking of that, he pulled out the sketchbook he had brought with him. Again unexplainably; he just felt it was the right place to be at the time. He flicked through the drawings: the sunset, the park, children playing happily with their families, a father he had barely remembered, a newer and clearer version further down, the Digital World, his mother, him...and he stopped at a particular one. One that had been rather painful to draw. After all, was it appealing to document one's own moment of death? He couldn't imagine why he had drawn that except to preserve the lessons death and the world had taught, but he realised that along with that, he had preserved the suffering caused, and the guilt carried in consequence.

He saw how much pain it was going to cause in the end. He was just too much of a coward to do something about it.

Before he could chicken out again, he grabbed the phone and dialled the number faster than his brain could process the information.

'Kouji?..Yeah it's me. Could you come to the hospital? You know which one...No I'm fine. It's important though...All right. See you.'

After receiving a conformation, he hung up.

It was only a few seconds later that his brain caught up, nagging him about the fact that his brother had sounded far more distracted than usual.

Almost as if darkness was beginning to envelop him.

And for some unexplainable reason, he panicked. He wasn't sure what was going on, save the fact it was somehow linked to him and the 'corrupted' segment of Lucemon's fractal code which had been separated from the other segment that his own body housed.

And then, as soon as the thoughts formed coherently in his mind, the remaining pieces of the puzzle clicked together.

He swore and ran from the room, mapping out the route his brother would most likely take and the fastest way to meet up with him. He'd worry about the data later...two peoples lives were more important.

* * *

'Kouji? Where are you?' the older twin muttered to himself, scanning street after street as he passed them. 'Don't tell me you pick today to change your routes.'

Passerbies gave him odd looks but he ignored them, too focused on finding his brother before the sinking stone in his stomach hit rock bottom. He should have known it was a bad idea to have an exhausted fourteen year old wandering the busy streets alone...there was a reason he was home and not at school. He was fine, if only because he was running on coffee and adrenaline...not the best combination but good when one needed to stay awake and alert after sparing hours of sleep (he had managed to find a temporary part-time job for a business that had suddenly loss their previous helper, mainly cleaning, filing or doing secretary work, at ¥642 an hour for four hours a school night and full days on weekends, and that would barely sum to the monthly rent and essential groceries).

He suddenly spotted Kouji crossing the road, and sped up his gait to a flat out run. A good thing too, as the younger twin hadn't (again) looked both ways before crossing, and was directly in the path of an oncoming car.

'Kouji!' He yelled desperately, willing himself to move faster than he ever had to reach the other before the inevitable occurred (early, too early), his feet barely touching the ground, reaching for a power he just _knew_ was there and letting it loose, begging whatever divine force would listen to let it work.

Kouji heard him, looking up, sapphire eyes widening as he saw something bright shining in the crowd, before light blared in his eyes, accompanied by the screeching of braking tires.

And then he was falling, a familiar and yet somehow foreign weight on top of him. His eyes were still wide open, but he figured their senses were already shut, as all he could see was an angel with his brother's face upon him, illumined by a white light that covered everything.

Then pain shot through his skull as the fall stopped, and the white light was all that existed.

* * *

Sometimes, a blank slate is presented to us, and then packed away for later use. One doesn't always immediately see the significance, but it is a gift that could make and break the web of destiny.

After all, one superiority of humans over other beings was the ability to change and grow. Digimon also had that ability, but they were bound to the extent of their data. For humans, the white canvas stretched beyond the horizon.

The limits were only where one made them. It was a lesson one had already learnt, and the other was about to learn the hard way.

But wisdom was barely received without pain.


	6. Revelation

Now, that didn't take too long, did it? Only, I wrote that last bit after the physics exam, so...you know. Weird things creeping in. I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out though.

Sorry I haven't been able to reply to reviews lately. I'm got limited computer space thanks to the exams. I'll get on them as soon as I'm done, but for now, a big thank you to everybody.

**Chapters remaining after this:** 4

Enjoy.

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Revelation**

Somewhere along the way, the blanket of pure white that had veiled his sight had dimmed to an ash grey. As if someone had shaded in the world with a lead pencil and a light hand, wrist gently flicking to and fro, guiding the flat point across a white sheet with a refined care that no amateur could possess, each stroke covering a little more of purity's blanket with the bland reality that life possessed, spreading darkness with its touch.

Light was light, whether it reflected white or grey or any colour attained by the combination of five colours which painted the visible outer world. Internally reflected, the light grey that represented the smouldering remains of a warm flame (metaphorically speaking, it was a rather accurate analogy) absorbed very little of that light, but even before the dimming had become apparent to his senses, slow and dull themselves, he wished for more light. Light that illuminated, light that covered, light that banished the darkness from all nooks and crannies in the world, light that told, light that revealed, light that lived...simply light.

There was no darkness (or rather, none he saw). There was only light, and how much of it. In there, it was impossible to remember there was a brother of darkness, that there was a night complimenting the long day. That there was a shroud of comfort and compassion when others fell prey to the sharp steel of justice and truth, that there was a brother who represented the inner child he locked away and so much more...because while he could never admit it to anyone but himself, it was his brother who was the stronger, the better person. Because he accepted both light and darkness. Because he conquered his fears and his past, while the other remained trapped within it. Because he was selfless, always putting the world before himself. Because he wasn't blinded by his own power, but rather enlightened by the wider scope it gave him. Because, unlike _him_, he understood, and he was strong enough to accept it.

God said: 'Let there be light.' Before that, there was nothing. But no-one ever commanded the existence of darkness before it came; it simply did. No-one complained for the lack of darkness; it was never lacking. But light, light has always been the bane of the primordial cry to the contemporary one.

Light is gentle, light is sharp. Light is truth, light is lies. Light is living, dead, calm and soft. Light is a dream from which one awakens to a black truth. Light is a double-edged blade.

With light, there are limits. Boundaries drawn, barriers never transcended.

But not darkness, never darkness. Because darkness was all that and more.

And one could note, that never in the history of the universe, had darkness ever truly been defeated. Fallen perhaps, taken down...but never defeated.

And the evidence was only a few feet away.

But the canvas was still there, painted ash. Painted with death, with the circled rings so small yet so significant in their purpose of constraint and limitation.

Because in a world where there was only light, he was very little.

Heck, he couldn't even tell what he was, except a little circle on a magnified canvas of grey and white.

Until his ears opened, and the licking tongues of the outer serpents pierced the protective haze and let the darkness seep in.

And along with the darkness, the outer world he had escaped...for a time.

A world which was once again beckoning to him as though he was an estranged fly caught in its web.

Eyes opened blurrily, but their sense was still mostly shut. Red danced across the barely uncovered pupils, a stark contrast against the ash grey that still consumed his sense.

'Kouji?' The voice was barely recognisable, someone he could vaguely associated with the red blotch on his perfect wall, and he couldn't help but feel slightly irritated at the taint in the purity. He supposed some part of that must have made its way to his body, though as detached as he was from it, the two might as well have been separate, because an exclamation had followed, along with a happy cheer.

'Kouji! You're alright! Wait until Kouichi hears! And your Dad!'

He could barely hear, already drowning in the grey sea. But the darkness stayed this time. And the name connected with it.

* * *

He noticed he wasn't hearing things anymore. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time he had. But he wished he could, if only because that meant he was a square behind. A square safer, like a knight behind the pawn...no, a knight was a bad analogy. The knight was his brother, not him. A rook maybe? No...Takuya probably. Someone straightforward and perhaps a little rash, but strong. The Queen, obviously not. Ditto with the King. Really, all that left was the bishop and the pawns. The bishop he didn't quite think so either, avoiding the main paths but still strong and handy where they count...he couldn't help but remember Tomoki with that description, so where did that leave him. Certainly not the pawns, because he needed, no wanted, to be behind them. And in a way, they had all begun as pawns, slaves of destiny and other's commands.

Perhaps he was still a pawn; a pawn behind another, yet to reach the end of the board and grow into something more.

_Was it all a waste then? Everything we done? Or was it because he was stuck in a stalemate, a net he couldn't unravel from? All simply because he wasn't willing to move another piece another square and give them back their glory?_

'Now he gets it.'

His head shot up. His eyes flew open. But he found no mysterious benefactor there. All he saw was the angel who had saved his life...and the demon who had taken his brother.

All he saw was his brother's form, eyes shades lighter than they should...and the white and black wings spread behind him, covering his vision, and around him, the white glow which had been half the attack which had stolen the other from him.

'Kouji?'

There were no wings; no more, but he knew they had been. The white walls loomed in on him, no longer coated with grey but shadowed with the afternoon sun flittering through the branches outside. His brother's concerned face loomed over him, eyes dark yet shining like the lapis lazuli gleaming with luck's touch, before they withdrew with a soft sigh and something cool touched his lips and the back of his head.

'Drink,' the other commanded gently, and Kouji obeyed, if only because he found the doors that lead to revelation closed. He drank, the cool liquid running down his dry throat, moistening the lining and freezing the heart buried deep within the integrated system that was called the human body, giving him strength...but an icy strength. Outward, he steeled himself for answers, knowing he had to knock down the wall of darkness before him for them. Inward, he shivered as he wondered where the light that had always been so warm and loyal had fled.

'When I told you to come to the hospital, I didn't mean like this,' Kouichi sighed again, taking the glass away when he noted the other done.

'You had wings,' came the reply, focused, stern and totally solid, not entirely expected from one who had drifted from in and out of consciousness for the past week.

'I-I don't-,' Kouichi stuttered, looking even more worried, but not for the reasons an outsider looking in would have thought. 'Maybe you're hallucinating. You hit your head pretty hard on the sidewalk.'

'Oh?' A hand snaked up to the bandage and gauze around his forehead, vaguely confused when feeling the coarse material. 'What happened?'

'You didn't look before crossing the road,' the other scolded, before his expression softened. 'A car almost hit you, but I pushed you out of the way. You landed on the footpath though...' There was an expression of sheepish guilt on his face. Really, only he could feel guilty about saving someone's life.

'And..?' Kouji prompted, wanting, no needing, the rest of the story.

'You've been in and out of consciousness for the past week,' the elder twin continued. 'The Doctors' think it was a side-effect from the sudden shock and consequent whiplash as they were fairly sure you didn't have a concussion.'

'And the wings?' the ex-warrior of light asked, returning to the earliest statement.

'I told you-'

'And I know you're lying.'

Once the words were out of his mouth, he wondered how he did. Because he definitely _knew_, even if he only realised it when said out loud.

'You're hallucinating,' the other responded, not really looking at him but rather at the shadows cast in the corners of the hospital room.

'Maybe,' Kouji admitted. 'But not about that. Not about you, or that light...the only thing I'm seeing that's not there is darkness.'

Something changed in his brother's face, but he found himself unable to be concerned for it. This was light's sorrow needing to be rectified; darkness already ruled the expanse. He knew he was being selfish, but at the same time he was too caught in the web fashioned of his own rejections, fears and something he couldn't identify, to care.

'Why darkness?' Kouichi asked quietly.

'Because you're perfect,' the other exploded suddenly. 'Look at you! You're the Warrior of Darkness, but you fit light better than I ever would. Your strong, strong enough to turn away from evil and still forgive the ones who dragged you into it. Strong enough to face death and accept the hand that pushed you there. You're strong enough to go through _any_thing and come out with a smile on your face. You're strong enough to go through death three times and still survive- No, listen! That car, if it didn't hit me, should have hit you. It did, it must have! But you, you're-'

'Kouji! Calm down!' the ex-warrior of darkness snapped, grabbing his brother's shoulders as the injured boy started to rise. 'That's not-'

'Don't deny it!' The younger twin yelled. 'He's a part of you, isn't he?' The whole point of this little charade had come. The green monster rearing its head to sink its fangs of poison at this precise moment. 'Lucemon is a part of you! I know I saw him then, and even now, when I look at you, I see _him_. And I hate him still.'

Kouichi's face was blank. The sparking lapis lazuli had crumbled to a murky turpentine. 'Not everything you said is true,' he said softly, hurt lacing the tone even as his expression hid it. 'But that is. I didn't ask for things to be this way, but it is, and there's nothing I can do but accept it and move on. But I can't really, because you hate him, and by extension, you hate me too.'

He set the glass he still gripped down, before turning away from the double-edged sword that had always haunted him. 'You're wrong about me being strong though. I'm weak, weak enough to hold on to things I can't. Weak enough to hope the light could ever be the darkness when that is not his path. But at the same time, I'm glad it's not. I'm weak enough to hide the truth in metaphors and games of letters and strokes, hiding the harsh truth of reality in smoother edges, softer colours...because I'm not light Kouji. I can never be. All I can ever do is hide in the shadows and watch everything unfold. Even then. Even now. That's all...'

His voice faded away as he moved to the door, tears tricking down his cheeks. 'This is the truth's reply,' he whispered, catching a tear on his fingertips before rubbing it dry. Perhaps it was my hallucinations that clouded the world after all, thinking light and darkness could ever be one.'

Kouji tried to call out to him, regretting the words that had come out of his mouth in anger and jealousy and confusion. But the other was already leaving, already letting himself ride out on a wave of darkness that reared high above the light and off to an infinity it could never reach.

''kaa-san's in room 401.'

The single occupant of the room blinked, and in that instance, the other was gone.

Then suddenly, the meaning of the words hit and nothing else mattered. The fogginess that tainted his mind vanished into the darkness that now hovered, the pain he felt every time he had looked into the captured face of a woman he believed for so long was dead. And then he was up, using the stand from which the IV drip hung as a support, and carefully working his way out of the room that was his own temporary quarters, 257 he noted to himself for the return journey, and went in search for his brother, the stairs of someone else. Anyone else, because already the walls of the corridor, by far not the pristine white (though not wholly pure) of the prison he had just left, and already threatening to drive him away.

What was he doing, he had to wonder. He didn't really know. Driving away those he cared out while longing for their company the minute they were gone. Cursing the darkness every second it was there, but then wishing for the strength and limitless potential it possessed.

Really, he was turning into a paradoxical basket-case. And all because of a silly little hole inside which was growing exponentially.

What he didn't notice, was that inside the safety of the inner darkness he had locked away, something else was growing too. Something not capable of thought, or consciousness, or anything really, save reaching for the other part of him that lay out of reach.

While simultaneously pushing him away. Like two electrons, unable to reach their optimum for the barriers that stood between and the cage around.

* * *

A few falls and a nurse later, Kouji found himself at his destination. The number printed on the door seemed abnormally bright to him, blaring and beckoning like a bright torch banishing the shadows away...only those haunting his footsteps refused to be banished.

Taking a deep breath, almost afraid to face what waited inside, he pushed the door open...and stopped. Stopped because his mother lay on the crisp and clean sheets like a wax doll, still and barely alive with only the soft sounds emitted by the machines connected giving any assurance to the life it monitored.

He had expected it. After all, he could think of no other reason for his brother to have called him _here_ of all places, especially so hesitantly, especially when his mind seemed further away from everything (yes, even in his sleep and sanity deprived state, he had managed to notice that), but to actually see and validate an assumption that raised an old belief's crushed remains to the surface was something else.

But that was only the result. The cause...

The door opened and shut behind his back, and he jumped before being placated by the appearance of a white-coated doctor. The beeping to his left was increasing slightly...probably what summoned him to begin with.

'What..?' he sputtered, trying to formulate a question but getting tied with the frayed ends of too many ropes. 'How..?'

'Terminal cancer,' the Doctor replied, not really paying attention, before closing his eyes and sighing. 'Are you a relative?' He sounded sceptical though, probably the IV drip still being used as an improvised walking stick.

'Her son,' Kouji shot back, much to the Doctor's surprise.

'What about the other boy?'

'Twin brother. Parents divorced.' The short answers gave way to desperation and need for information.

'No-one told you?' The elder asked, before shaking his head. 'No, I'd imagine not. Tomoko-chan never did like involving others. I believe the other boy, the one she raised, only found out a few weeks ago himself.'

'Only..?' The younger twin said weakly, mind bouncing from one extreme to another before choosing to comfortably remain in the realm of his mother's illness. 'How long?'

'Five or six years.' The Doctor looked back at his patient, and before that, his subordinate. The beeping continued to accelerate at a jerking speed. 'With the sudden drop, I'd estimate she only has a few minutes left.'

'A few minutes?' He paled so fast it was a miracle he didn't faint on the spot. Not that his mind was on that though. A few minutes wasn't nearly enough for anything, and Kouichi...there was no way someone would find him in time. Knowing him, he'd be out of the hospital and in one of his lonely solaces; it was rather tempting to bang his head on the nearest wall as he surveyed the envy and jealousy, reflective of Duskmon's own bane, had spewed out at the worst possible timing.

What it was about to cost his brother was something that could never be repayed.

As if on cue, the Doctor put a hand on his shoulder. 'Do you know where your brother is? Or father?'

Kouji just shook his head. His when and where's were entirely confused.

There was a swishing of a lab coat, before the Doctor tweaked a few knobs and withdrew when no change occurred.

'I'll leave you alone,' he said almost sympathetically. 'I'll see if I can contact them.'

He just nodded, watching the white cloak flutter behind the man cloaked in it, before turning back to the fluttering eyelids of his mother.

_Wait a sec. Fluttering..?_

He ran to her with a feverish impatience, not even noticing he had managed to somehow yank out the needle dug into his vein, calling her much with the desperation he had called his brother when the data was scanned and absorbed, when he believed him to be dead...

And then she responded, voice pale and thin but at least there. 'Kouji...' There was a small silence following that, before she spoke again, a small smile spreading across her face. 'I knew he would break that promise. Come here.'

He came, even closer, wrapping the woman's thin and cold hand into his warmer one. 'My sweet baby,' she whispered, and he couldn't think that his brother should be here instead. 'There was a time where I wish I could have kept you both under my wings...' Her face changed suddenly, as though noting the absence. 'Kouichi..?'

'He's not here,' Kouji responded, a little harsher than he meant. After all, it was his fault to begin with.

'It's not your fault,' Tomoko said softly, correctly guessing her son's thoughts. 'It's no-body's.'

'But I-'

'But nothing.' Her voice grew softer still. 'Being happy, that's all that really matters in the end. And I'm happy, knowing that even if I couldn't watch you grow, you've become such a strong person. I'm happy knowing the son I raised has blossomed into a fine young man.'

The tears began there, streaking down his cheeks and staining the covering. It all sounded so final.

'All I want now...' she continued, sounding as though she was forcing the final message out, pushing back the inevitable tide to deliver her last words as a mother. '...is for you both to be happy. You too are like the sun and the moon, but you have to remember there are two kinds of lights. the glow that illumines, and the glare that obscures. Stay the first...for me...'

'Mama...' The childish name fell from his lips without a thought, but it was a time where weakness was not frowned upon. 'Mama...'

'Hush,' the mother whispered, so faintly that the other missed it. 'I'm sorry...but I'm happy now.'

Utter silence followed as the last strand of hope fell, before the wail of a lost child in the darkness echoed, the rain falling now in abundance as the thunder boomed its disapproval at the fate of the light.

'Mama,' the boy sobbed, still clutching the still hand as the weight crashed upon him. 'You have nothing to be sorry for.'

_I have no regrets...No regrets..._

'Iie...Ni-san...Okaa-san...' The shadows grew closer as the last of the light from the sky faded. 'Am I the one dragging back this darkness? Am I the one filled with regrets?'

The darkness stayed, mocking him, reminding him of the cost of such regret, what little light remaining either shimmering off the tranquil face before him...or casting his shadow on the wall closing in.


	7. Evasion

I realised I had never given Ishikawa a first name from **In Memoriam**..., so I've given him the name Mamoru, which means protector. Ironic, since he was in the business of bullying others for awhile, but he had his own problems (sort of like Katsuharu and Teppei, but since they were out, all 'good' after the DW incident, enter OC) so he wasn't always all bad.

By the way, Mamoru and Kouichi became somewhat friends after that incident, but that doesn't mean Mamoru knows the details about his 'friend'. For example, he doesn't know Satomi is his stepmother, as the subject never came up.

As for the ending...well, I couldn't resist.

Enjoy.

**Chapters remaining after this:** 3

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Evasion**

Kouji was released from the hospital the following night, as was the body of his mother, the funeral being held the succeeding day. Everyone was there: friends, family...and Kouichi. But vanishing straight after the funeral, no-one had been graced with a chance to talk with him.

The Doctor had apparently alerted him, because no-one else had seen him. And no-one else did see him for days. The younger twin returned back to school that Monday, still suffering from a slightly sore neck from the whiplash and an occasional bad mood to boot, only to find his elder brother missing.

And apparently so since that day in the hospital. And while the teachers could let it go for his mother's death, his friends and remaining family couldn't.

Especially as he wasn't answering his home phone either.

* * *

Junpei wasn't too pleased with the situation. In all fairness, he had wanted to try and track down his best friend (rather, one of five) as much as the others (although Kouji seemed torn between finding and avoiding his twin), but a science project of all things had dragged him to Ishikawa Mamoru's house of all people's...they same guy who had less than a year ago picked on the same best friend. Provided, he had turned over a new leaf since the scare...but the saying went that leopards don't switch spots that fast, nor that permanently, so suffice to say, he wasn't truly comfortable in the other's presence.

The other guy was however more perceptive than he appeared, and while he accepted the two weren't on the best terms with each other (why would they be?), he also knew there was something else to do with his mood than the awkward atmosphere.

'So what's on your mind?' he asked suddenly, grabbing a pen out of the other's reach as the ex-warrior of Thunder reached for it.

Junpei started a little, then sighed. Knowing that Kouichi had become good friends with the other after their...disagreement had been smoothed over, he had as much a right as any other random person the older twin had touched the heart of (and God knew how often he managed to do that), to know what was going on.

'Well, it's Kouichi. You know how his mum died and all...'

'Is he doing okay?' Mamoru interrupted almost immediately, not seeing too surprised at the news; rumours had a habit of travelling fast.

'That's the thing,' the other mumbled. 'No-one's seen him since the funeral. He hasn't been to school, and he's not picking up his home phone. No-one's seen him for days, and his father for one is panicking. He almost called the police but Satomi stopped him.'

'He's still been going to work,' the slightly elder of the two mused thoughtfully. ''tou-san did mention he was quieter than usual, but since he hasn't been there for too long, he couldn't be sure-'

'Wait!' Junpei interrupted surprised. 'He works? Since when?'

'A few weeks ago I think.' The other frowned, trying to remember. 'Just stuff like cleaning, filing...you know, those mundane jobs no-one can be bothered doing but need to be done.'

'Why?'

Mamoru shrugged, then stared oddly at the other. 'He didn't mention anything?'

'No.'

A sigh. 'He wouldn't, would he?'

'No...he wouldn't. He always tried to take the world on his own shoulders.'

'That sounds like him. If you want my personal opinion, it was child services.'

Now, that hadn't occurred to the other. 'What gave you that idea?'

'Well, he started working soon after his mother was admitted, even agreeing to miss school on Saturday's to work a full day. They could have found out about the fact that his mother was in no condition to look after him, so told him to either prove he can support himself while his mother was in the hospital, or they'd take him to an orphanage or foster home.'

'They can't do that!' Junpei exclaimed. 'That's absurd. His father-'

'Probably had to give up rights with the divorce,' the other cut in. 'My father works in a law firm remember? That's the way things generally work.'

'So they expect a teenager to work for his life?'

'That was on the condition his mother lived,' Mamoru reminded. 'He's technically an orphan now, and the law _will_ put him in an orphanage when they find him. Unless someone can find a way around that, and they had better hurry, because I'm guessing if his father hasn't heard anything, then the kid's doing a good job of avoiding them. Mind you, that's a theory.' He added that last part hastily seeing the look of horror on the other's face.

'A plausible one,' Junpei pointed out. 'But if he thinks we're going to just stand on the sidelines, he's dead wrong.

He stood up, gathering the stray materials. 'Mind if I take a rain-check?'

'Go ahead,' the other dismissed. 'Friends are more important.'

'You know, maybe I was wrong. You really have changed.'

'Not at all. Leopards don't change their spots so rapidly and permanently after all. Sometimes a shock is all that's needed to see that.'

* * *

It didn't take long before he was walking down the street he knew Kouichi's apartment (it felt odd saying that singularly now) to be on. Nothing seemed out of place; the curtains were drawn, lights out and looking as though no-one was home, and the pressed-suit figures retreating from the parking in a black car confirmed that.

For a moment, he remembered the other's words. Were they from the government then? But no-one had answered the door, so...

Then a thought occurred to him. Of course the other wouldn't open the door. He was probably pretending not to be home.

Well, the mused to himself, digging out a wire from his pocket. He knew just what to do about that.

And he set up the driveway himself, preparing himself for the drastic action of breaking and entering the apartment. But as they said, desperate times called for desperate measures, and he had a feeling the other wasn't going to answer the door for anyone at this stage.

A small click, and the door swung open. But the triumph was short-lived, as it suddenly swung back with surprising force, catching his forehead as he thrust it forward to peek into the presumed empty hallway and throwing to the ground in his unawareness. All he could see after that were the stars twinkling in the dark sky while his head pounded from the sudden hit, before he shut his eyes to escape the piercing glare of the light pinpoints on the night. Without even realising, or meaning too, he slipped into a not-so-peaceful sleep, still trying to block the annoying ache which gradually dulled.

* * *

He woke up to find himself on the Kimura's couch and Minamoto Kousei searching for something.

'Minamoto-san?' Junpei asked blearily. 'What are you doing here?'

'Apparently the same thing as you,' the older man commented dryly. 'I didn't expect to find you asleep on the doorstep though.'

Junpei laughed sheepishly, noting his head wasn't representing the savage beating of a drum after the unintentional nap. 'The door slammed into me as soon as I got it open. I'm guessing I startled Kouichi; didn't think how he'd react to hearing someone trying to break into his home.'

He then blinked, sitting up as he realised Kousei was now reading to sheets of paper stashed in a drawer, a frown growing on his face.

'Did you know about this?' he asked, bringing the sheets over for the other to look at.

The ex-warrior of thunder scanned them, realising them to be bills, receipts, bank statements and cheques. Basically everything required for someone to run a living quarters on his own.

'Actually, I just found out before I came here,' he said slowly. 'From someone whose father works here.' He pointed at the name in the corner of one of the cheques. 'He also mentioned he thinks Child Services got on his case.'

Kousei was too busy attempting to suppress the sudden anger at that to reply for a good few minutes. When he did, all he could question was why no-one had told him.

Junpei could only shrug. 'Kouichi never tells anyone when he's having problems.' He glanced at the clock on the wall. Half an hour since he had first arrived on the doorstep. Not bad at all. Maybe he could still find him before he set off to his temporary job; seeing as he had been at the apartment, chances are he didn't start for awhile.

'I'm going to continue looking for him,' Junpei declared, standing up.

'Me too,' Kousei agreed, replacing the papers and none-too-guilty about invading his son's privacy, before surveying the empty apartment.

* * *

He found himself sweeping through the parks. Not quite sure why, but there was something about the sweet and cold air of the approaching winter that spread a numbing and calming sensation. More comforting than the waves lolling around in their confinements when one was not really seeking comfort but solace.

How he knew that, he didn't know...no matter how confusing that sounded. He simply supposed his time in the digital world gave him a keener insight amongst certain things, like all the others: Kouji's eyesight and hearing had improved by far (which several moles learnt the hard way), Takuya's strategizing had taken on a whole new meaning, incorporating the world outside and in and winning him the captaincy of the now three years undefeated local soccer team...

And it turned out he was right, he noted, finding the older twin sitting on a sturdy branch about two feet from his head.

'Hey Kouichi!' he called loudly, in case he was asleep.

He wasn't, but he got a good scare anyway, shrieking in shock (though not to the frequency to be teased for reaching the 'girl' definition) and falling off the branch before his reflexes could kick in. Junpei's however luckily weren't so dull, and he managed to catch his friend, however the sudden additional weight and force knocked them both to the ground.

'Junpei!' The boy gasped breathlessly. 'How..? Why..?'

'Honestly?' the other laughed after catching his breath. 'You weren't too hard to find once I thought about it with a cooler head. Though the door was unexpected.'

He stood up, grabbing the other and pulling him to his feet, noting the flush on the pale boy's cheeks. 'Don't worry about it.' He waved a hand to brush off the other's stuttered and tad embarrassed apology. 'I take it you thought I was someone else.'

Kouichi didn't say anything, simply averting his gaze to his feet.

'Child Services?' Junpei pressed, looking for a validation.

The other's head shot up so fast the hat flew off, the older boy catching it while the younger was stuck to his fish-out-of-the-water routine.

'I'll take that as a yes,' the ex-warrior of thunder sighed. 'What were you doing here anyway? Actually,' he added. 'Don't answer that. And if you're wondering how I found out, Ishikawa and he simply guessed, though those pressed-suit guys were good evidence.'

The brunette started walking away, seizing the other's wrist and forcing him to follow. 'And as to why I was breaking into your apartment,' he continued as though the other had asked. 'We were all worried about you. Honestly, you haven't been at school since Thursday. I get Friday since...' He broke off awkwardly, before continuing. 'And Saturday, since you were working a full day. But today?'

'I was tired,' the raven mumbled, still sounding so.

'Where'd you sleep?' Junpei asked, concerned and repeating the question in a sterner voice when he didn't get an answer.

'Swings,' Kouichi replied in the same distant monotone. 'Then 'kaa-san's bed.'

'Did it help?'

'No.'

'When did you last eat?' _Maybe a new topic would help._

The other shrugged, not really caring as Junpei steered him into a cafe (one he himself generally frequented).

_Okay, apparently not._

'Sit right here,' Junpei instructed. 'And you'd better still be there when I get back.'

Kouichi was, luckily for the both of them, when Junpei returned with two steaming mugs and a piece of strawberry cake, keeping one mug for himself while shoving the rest towards his temporary charge who looked at it disinterestedly and turned away with a half-hearted mutter which the first ignored.

'So..?' Junpei asked, sipping his Tamaryokucha (he had given the Macchiato to his friend, seeing as the boy looked as though he could a little caffeine spike).

'So what?' the other deadpanned, not really looking at anything.

Junpei frowned at that; the kid wasn't even this closed off after the whole Duskmon incident.

'Say something,' he persuaded, feeling rather awkward (people just weren't his forte, but he was the only one here, so he would just have to improvise).

'What do you want me to say?' Same robot-like voice.

'Anything,' the other replied uncomfortably. 'Seriously Kouichi, you're freaking me-'

'What does it matter?' Kouichi screamed suddenly, almost making Junpei fall off his chair. A young boy in the corner actually did, and the remaining handful of people, including the waitress, stared at the duo. Of course, it didn't matter that the boy fell back to his doll-impersonation routine when Junpei attempted to press his advantage.

'Okay,' he muttered to himself. 'New tactic.' _But what?_

He looked at Kouichi in front of him, then thought about his twin. Sure the two were different people, but even taking that in to account, there was something...odd about this reaction. Kouji's naturally stoic demeanour had been shattered into the guise of a baited wolf; predictable when accounting for his beast spirit, emotions adversely shaping his stature and sketching his form, the outer bubble that blew between the inner and outer worlds...a little more so than expected, but as Izumi pointed out, lack of sleep, shock, whiplash and guilt were major contributors as well.

So that was the younger twin's current face all accounted for...except of course in regards to the actual cause of the lack of sleep. But while his inner world reflected his posture, stiff as a board in turmoil, sharp as a blade in adversary, the other's world swam within the ocean hue of his eyes, a screen at which you could look into for eternity and still learn something new about the perpetually changing story told; even when a picture told a thousand words, they lacked the true essence that could be extracted from that gaze...when one chose to look.

Eyes were the doorway to the soul; for some, the door was opened wider than others. Kouji's were rather closed, perhaps from young as he shut himself from the world as his outer form shifted from place to place as the inner searched for a haven where it could remain. Kouichi's were the opposite, open; inviting at times, completely chilling at others, but always open all the same. In the photos the gang had seen of him before the Digital World, it was the same. Blue eyes smiling serenely at the sky and the happiness around, but always the lurking sadness and even deeper anger should one dare to come close. Then there was Duskmon, eyes wiped of life as the dead warrior fought for an identity to bring life back into them. Afterwards, the guilt and pain that slowly lightened back into contentment and happiness, the quiet strength that stood by their own power, the calm acceptance as he faced his own death...then the dead eyes of the flat-lined boy regaining their life as his heart took its beat once more. The story, the skin of it in any case, was as plain as the day itself. The rest was more metaphorical and rather easy to misinterpret (hence why he could get away with lying, especially to his brother), but the moral of the tale was that they were _never_ as blank as they were now. Not even when the corpse (don't think, he mentally thought to himself, remembering the image) lay on the stretcher in the ICU.

'What's death like?' Junpei asked quietly, causing the eyes to stare at him once more.

For the longest time, neither said a word after. The ex-warrior of thunder berated himself as the thought that he may have stuck his foot into his mouth surfaced (honestly, who would want to be reminded of near death experiences), and he was about to switch the train again when the other finally answered.

'I can't explain it,' Kouichi said softly and in the same tone. 'I don't remember. It's something you can't understand until it's too late to ever do anything with that knowledge.'

'Well..,' Junpei offered feebly. 'That's...good?'

'People call it paradise, heaven...a utopia after a world filled with flaw and chaos.'

The brunette blinked, wondering what prompted the speech. Then again, as he realised he couldn't connect the voice speaking with anything the other had ever said before. Well, sure, he could detect the fourteen year old's distinct tenor underneath, but it almost sounded like a voice overlay like in a movie or cartoon. It was hard to tell though; he had thought he was mistaken at first as the two tones were rather similar in comparison, but the feeling persisted.

'Okay,' Junpei mused. 'Well...' That unfortunately was an end of conversation, so another topic change was in order. Then he looked at the Styrofoam cup sitting untouched. 'Drink up,' he said in an overly cheerful voice.

'I don't drink coffee,' the other deadpanned.

'Whoops.' He hadn't known that. 'Oh well, you still need some caffeine, and one time won't kill ya.'

Nothing. Another dead end. Or not, as a spark of brilliance flared.

'I wonder if Kouji lives of coffee,' the magician 'extraordinaire' mused aloud. 'Lately anyway. We'll have to keep _him_ away from caffeine. He's like the walking grouch.'

As he said that, he looked carefully at the other's eyes, seeing something spark at the mention of his brother before returning to the blank slate.

_Aha_, Junpei thought, celebrating the mini-triumph in his head, before realising he had quite the ways to go.

'He bit off the teachers head this morning,' he continued, pretending nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. 'According to Izumi anyway, and the class was pretty shocked when he was just sent out of the room. No detention, no nothing, though he had to stand outside for an hour.' Junpei chuckled at that. 'He hates standing still.'

'He hates me.'

_Wait...what?_

'What gave you that idea?' he half yelled, forgetting about the people who were _still_ staring at them (luckily, for the most part they were talking too quiet to be understood). Then he frowned suddenly; no way would Kouichi ever say the brother so dear to him hates him in such a flat tone.

'Whose talking?' the once Blitzmon asked, feeling rather stupid for asking a question whose answer should be obvious but at the same time feeling that _maybe, just maybe_ it wasn't. Maybe there was something else going on. Maybe...no, that's insane. He already had Duskmon; lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place. But still...'You, Kouichi, or someone else?'

Kouichi flinched at that, which told the other he had nailed the jackpot. 'All right,' he said, switching back into the stern 'not leaving without an answer' mode. 'What haven't you told us?'

A sudden thought occurred to him...rather, someone else's voiced opinion swimming to the surface. And the pictures Kouji had showed him the hospital, easing the loose pages from his sleeping brother's grip: the winged figure, the trinity, the sketchbook itself that crafted and preserved a world of memory...or an identity, as he recalled Duskmon.

'Kouichi,' he said slowly, thinking about the nonsensical yet sensible idea that was formulating in his head. 'Has this got anything to do with Lucemon?'

Another flinch.

'Kouji not sleeping properly?' he continued to persist. '_You_ not sleeping properly? That accident? You two not talking to each other?'

No answer. But there wasn't really one required. The pieces were falling into place on their own, as illogical as they seemed.

Of course the only way to gain at least a dim understanding was to associate it with something they already knew.

'A hint?' he pleaded.

'Scanned,' was the reply.

'Huh? Scanned?' Honestly, he was more surprised at having gotten an answer to begin with. His mind however soon began shuffling to all the words triggered by that one, linked mainly to the Digital World.

And then it clinked. The final piece.

'When Lucemon scanned your data,' he realised, gaping at the other. 'And Kouji and Takuya scanned his. Is it possible that your...codes got...er, crossed over? Like gene recombination?'

Kouichi nodded.

'So you've got part of Lucemon's code integrated in your own, and lost some of yours?'

Another nod.

Junpei's brain chose that moment to catch up. 'Wait...what? So then, that big flash of light everyone was talking about...that was you? Those nightmares...is Lucemon being reborn or something?'

A third nod.

'I think I'm getting the problem now.' And indeed, he saw it better than the twins themselves. Perhaps because he wasn't directly involved. Perhaps because he didn't have prejudices blinding him. Or perhaps it was simply the task assigned to him.

'Kouji never really got over Lucemon killing you,' he continued. 'He hates Lucemon, so you think by extension, now that he knows, he hates you too.' A sigh, then: 'Kouichi, that's never going to happen. No matter what.'

Kouichi didn't move as the other pushed his chair away and stood. 'Do _you_ hate him? Forget Kouji, forget Lucemon, forget us...just you. Do you hate him?'

His lips parted slightly, as though in confusion, and his eyes flickered, before the face fell forward slightly and the hair framed the vulnerability like a curtain.

'No,' he answered finally, hesitantly and sounding reminiscent of the old Kouichi who had stood before them after Duskmon's defeat. 'I don't, I...can't. We all killed...what we wanted...It doesn't change that. He just...he was trying to bring peace. Maybe he did go mad with power, but he...he was just...doing what he thought was right. Doubt stood in his way, so he destroyed it. _We_ stood in his way, so can we fault him for trying to destroy us? We've done the same. But-'

'No buts. If you think that, then he deserves a second chance.' Junpei felt completely out of character as he coaxed the other's chin up with one hand and put a finger of silence to those lips with the other, but he did it anyway. Within the light grip, he could feel the other shaking, the facade crumbling away as the chisel chipped away. 'You've always done this: hiding larger problems beneath smaller ones. You may be as easy to read as a book, but it's a book with more twists and turns than Bokomon's Book of Knowledge and all the mystery/crime novels in the world combined.' He leaned forward slightly so the two were eye level, as he would sometimes to draw in the enthusiastically young crowd waiting for the next magic trick, only this time, he had a different purpose. 'Personally, I think Kouji's jealous of you. And you haven't completely lost your own envy of him. But that's all right; I'd be worried if you two were the perfect pair, seeing as that's not possible in this world or any other one. And besides, you do realise half the male population in the school is jealous of the two of you.'

Blue eyes widened slightly, losing their slight aquamarine edge.

'Yeah,' he mused, half to himself. 'There were times when I was jealous of you too. You're strong in your own way, not the type to go off the handle but still being able to hold your own when things matter, the way you took down that projection of Cherubimon while we got our buts kicked by him, the way you stood up to Lucemon...and other little things too. You're just so...endearing. You make it practically impossible for people to not like you but at the same time you haven't just thrown yourself to the world. You've got so many secrets, so many mysteries...I guess people overlook faults when they get caught up in all that. But I think your biggest fault is that you keep too much inside. Try to take too much weight on to your own shoulders.'

That did it. The other fell forward, body shaking with suppressed sobs, and the ex-warrior of thunder wrapped him in a warm embrace and let him cry upon his shoulder as the ocean relieved itself of its burden.

They'd deal with everything else later. What mattered now was making it through one of life's trails at a time.

Speaking of, hopefully Takuya and Izumi had managed to knock some sense into Kouji. Of course, that would leave Junpei with the task of informing their youngest member who, last he checked, had been dragging Yutaka along the river edge.

'And as for your mother,' he whispered softly into the other's ear. 'You know she only wants the two of you to be happy. And she doesn't think for one second that she's anything less...to you, or to anyone. She said so herself.'

The tears just continued to fall, some carrying the dam's contents along, other's for no apparent reason, simply needing a chance to emerge and escape, using such an opportunity granted to them.

It took a while for them to subside, and thankfully by then the remaining occupants of the little coffee shop had returned to their own doings. Junpei offered the Macchiato to Kouichi again, this time the boy accepting it and taking the disposable cup within his hands, while taking another sip of his own Tamaryokucha, to his rather pleasant surprise finding it warm and filled.

'Huh?' He put his own Styrofoam cup down and looking at it critically, before staring at the tray it had been sitting on, and the note pinned to it, before shifting his gaze to the blushing waitress behind the counter.

He couldn't stop the grin spreading across his face. But then again, he didn't want to, though the timing was rather odd.

'Kouichi, I think you just helped me score my first date.'

The thin watery laugh that followed that exclamation was the pen signing his success.


	8. Confrontation

Chiharu is a Japanese name that means "one thousand springs". I was trying to avoid a name that ended with 'ko(u)'.

After the Quake by Murakami is actually a Japanese novel, even though it's on my English Literature booklist. We're just using the translated version. The thing that always sticks is the fact that there's a female Junpei.

The phrase "to err is human, to forgive divine" came from my English exam three years ago. Almost clean sweeped that exam, but according to my teacher used the word 'forgive' too much. But that quote has always stuck with me, even if I don't have a solid reference.

**Chapters remaining after this: **2

Please enjoy and tell me what you think. Especially since it's Butterflies Flight, Redealt and hopefully Guiltless before the next update...provided I don't get past the block on Rising Dark Currents, or that could join the line as well. And I was evil and left it at a cliffhanger. But hey, what's the fun of putting a cliffhanger when there's no wait before the resolution?

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 8 – Confrontation**

The rest of the afternoon had vanished into a daze. Junpei, after practically force-feeding him half the cheesecake he had brought for the two to share, had dragged him to his (Junpei's, that is) house and upstairs into his bed. Five minutes later, when realising the other wasn't falling asleep despite his appearance, he had pushed one of his father's sleeping tablets and a tall glass of water into his hands, ignoring the weak protests (he still had to get to work!) and fixating him with a death glare that could rival Takuya and Kouji's combined until he gulped them down.

After his younger charge was asleep, Junpei took up the receiver, first calling Ishikawa (they weren't comfortable enough to be on first name basis yet) to inform him Kouichi would not be going to work that afternoon/night, then his (Kouichi's, that is) father to inform him that his son was in safe hands while leaving out the Digital World issues, then Tomoki's cell to stop the boy from racing through all the rivers in Japan throughout a fruitless search. Kousei would tell Kouji, who would hopefully tell Takuya and Izumi, because it was dinner time once he was off the phone after the last call, and he was starving.

After that was bed, and the plotting ways to drag Kouichi to school the next day. He needn't have worried though, as it hadn't taken much persuasion on his part.

It turned out that his mother was more versed on that aspect. As well as getting food into the lithe body. After all, even his mother couldn't always get him to eat breakfast in the mornings, and yet Chiharu had managed to convince him to a slice of toast, a glass of milk and a riceball before her own son and husband made it to the table.

Mothers really were miracle workers. And while some kids have hated that after losing their own, Kouichi was one of those who needed that comfort.

And Chiharu was one of those mothers who took her son's friends as her own children.

* * *

Izumi was impatiently tapping her foot against the gate, glancing at Takuya and Kouji every few seconds to make sure the two were being civil. She needn't have worried, except their combined influence was rather astronomical, and it hadn't taken too long that morning for the two best friends to have their first and second fights of the week. The second being over her hairstyle of all things.

She stopped tapping her foot to stare at her reflection on the finished metal surface. Instead of the normal straight style, she had chosen to clip her hair back with a butterfly clip, a birthday present from a friend from Italy. Fingering a golden strand before pushing it back into place, she really couldn't imagine why two of her friends would choose that as a debate topic. Especially since neither had voiced any objections.

Not that it mattered. It _was_ her hair after all. She just wasn't sure she was comfortable with the fact that two _guys_ were arguing about it. Seriously, who would be?

Needless to say, she was thrilled when distraction arrived in the form of Tomoki.

'All that's left is Junpei and Kouichi,' she said happily. Then her tone shifted to a low growl. 'And if Junpei didn't manage to knock some sense into that kid for worrying us, I'm going to.'

'No need Izumi,' the youngest of their little gang sweat-dropped. 'Junpei mentioned that his mum was helping out. And you know Chiharu-san, you can't say no to her.'

'That's true,' the blond agreed, looking to the clock that overshadowed their approaching school day. 'They're cutting it fine.'

'Junpei always does,' Takuya commented, overhearing, leaving Kouji under the tree with his co-captain and coming over, before dropping his voice. 'So now what?'

'About what?' the ex-warrior of ice asked.

'Well...everything.'

'Very articulate,' the half-Italian rolled her eyes. 'If you're talking about the twins, I think the most we can do now is let them talk it out. We've done what we could, but it is a family affair. If you're talking about their mother, give them time. If you're talking about Lucemon-' She cut off.

'Yeah?' Takuya prompted.

'I don't really know,' Izumi admitted. 'How am I supposed to feel about a digimon that destroyed the whole digital world coming back? Especially one that killed one of my best friends. Granted, he pulled through, but...'

'But at the same time,' Tomoki pointed out. 'That wasn't the Lucemon that brought peace to the Digital World. He should be purified now, right?'

'But who will accept him?' Takuya had to wonder. 'Would anyone be willing to give him a second chance?'

The three were silent for a moment there, before Tomoki spoke up again. 'I don't think that's really for us to decide,' he said. 'That's for the digimon, especially those affected worst by him, to choose whether or not they're willing to give him a second chance. Provided they can tell he's reborn and not a different one.'

'How many are there?' their unofficial leader groaned.

'Kouichi mentioned another one from the Seven Demon Lords legend. He said a group of ordinary digimon banded together and defeated them somehow, including an Agumon, Gaomon, Lalamon and Renamon. Had something to do with code-keys.'

'So Lucemon's got an all-round bad reputation,' the ex-warrior of wind sighed.

'Not necessarily,' Takuya pointed out. 'With the digital world reborn, how many people remember our tyrant Lucemon?'

'Our?'

'You know what I mean.'

'That's true,' Tomoki cut in. 'He pretty much has a second chance. We can't deny him that. Even if we could go to the Digital World.'

'That's true,' the other two sighed. 'I'm not sure the idea sits too well with me though,' Izumi added as an afterthought. 'But you're right. He deserves that second chance just as much as any other digimon or human. It wouldn't be fair to deny him that. At that same time though, I can't forgive what he's done.'

'I think that's okay,' Takuya commented, looking over to Kouji who was still caught up with the other boy, though not noting the bandana-wearing boy was listening in. 'We're just little humans after all. No-one's a picture-perfect angel. 'sides, he won't be a mega for awhile.'

He tilted his head the other way, and caught sight of the two late members, just on the bell.

'Sheesh, talking about cutting things fine,' the brunette grumbled laughingly. 'And I thought I have a habit of being late.'

'You would have been if I hadn't dragged your butt here,' Izumi pointed out dryly.

* * *

Lunch break found five of the six warriors at their usual spot on the roof, Kouichi once again missing.

'Seriously,' Junpei groaned. 'Don't tell me he gave us the slip. After all that.'

'Actually,' Tomoki pointed to the door to the stairwell. 'He's right there.'

And he was, carrying a lunch packed by Junpei's mother and looking a little sheepish.

'Gomen,' he apologized. 'I was making up a test.'

'What subject?' Izumi asked, seeing as none of the others in the same year level had done one lately.

'Literature,' the other replied. 'I haven't even read the entire book yet either.'

'Oh. After the Quake?'

'Yeah.'

'Wait a sec,' Takuya butted in as Kouichi put his lunch down on the vacant spot. 'How'd you get through the test?'

'Improvised.'

'Improvised?'

'You know,' Kouji rolled his eyes, momentarily forgetting about the shaky ground between him and his brother. 'To make do with what you already know.'

Takuya bit back a comment in retaliation and stared at the other twin instead. 'Aren't you going to sit down?'

'Yeah, in a minute.' The boy bit his lip slightly, apparently debating something, before abandoning his meal and walking over to the fence. 'Kouji?'

Hearing the unspoken request, the younger twin got up and joined him, steeling his own courage for a thing he rarely did. 'Look...I-'

'Not now,' the other simply muttered, grasping the wired fencing on the roof and climbing over, much to the shock of the others.

'Hey!' Junpei and Takuya simultaneously shouted. 'What are you doing?'

'It's fine,' Kouichi replied, not really answering the question as the answer itself was rather obvious. 'This is about as wide as the stairs in Ophanimon's library.'

That was true, but there was a good reason why that fence was there to begin with, so it sort of defeated the purpose when Kouichi jumped down from the top, neatly landing and gesturing the other to follow him.

Kouji did so, and soon enough, the two brothers were staring out into the city with no fence to obscure them.

The elder twin closed his eyes and breathed deeply. 'The air was always fresher on this side of the fence.'

He then turned his brother as the other mirrored the action at the precise moment. Simultaneously, their mouths opened. 'I'm-' they both began at the same time, before stopping and looking at each other.

'You go first,' Kouichi said after an awkward moment. 'It's bound to be less complicated.'

'True,' Kouji agreed, though still awkward, flustered and a good few other emotions he didn't really want to admit. 'I-I'm sorry!' he blurted out finally.

His brother just stared at him, informing him that he needed to elaborate. 'I-I can't really explain it.' He stumbled over his own words before they suddenly began to flow. 'It just felt like someone telling me I wasn't willing to change. I wasn't willing to let go of all things that turned into little demons in my head. I wasn't willing to be in darkness, even after everything.'

'You don't have to be,' Kouichi finally said. 'Darkness is darkness, and light is light. They are separate, but they exist as a part of each other. No-one can take another's identity from them. What matters is simply accepted it.'

'I guess I just had a hard time doing that,' Kouji admitted. 'It's just hard to remember, and it's hard to see the other side. It's hard to forgive Lucemon after he-' He cut himself off, and he didn't have to finish the sentence as the other understood. 'But holding on to that hatred does nothing. I get that now, though it took long enough. I just can't believe it took loosing and almost loosing the people I love to make me understand that, especially since that's what got me into this mess to begin with. So...I'm sorry.'

'That's okay,' Kouichi said quietly. 'Have you ever heard the phrase: "to err is human, to forgive divine"?'

'No. But it's rather cliché.'

'It's the truth though.'

'There is truth in such proverbs. But when did we get so sappy?'

They cracked a shared grin, before Kouichi spoke up again. 'I'm sorry too. I should have told yoy...all of you. I was just afraid of how everyone was going to react, afraid of what admitting the truth really meant.'

'I'm still jealous though.'

'So am I. I don't think that's going to change. But I'm okay with it if you are?' He gave his brother a questioning look, to which the other assented.

'Finally,' Takuya cheered from the other side of the fence. Luckily, both twins knew the goggle head well enough not to jump from shock over the sudden outburst, though Kouji wasted no time in shooting a reply, which then turned into a three way war as Izumi failed to keep peace.

Kouichi just laughed, feeling happier than he had in weeks now that everything was thrown to the winds...at least, until the ground beneath him suddenly shook.

'What the-?' he began, latching onto the fence, before a stronger shake almost knocked his brother to the ground. The ex-warrior of darkness however managed to catch the other, light latching onto the fence beside him as the other ex-warriors jumped up in alarm as the ground shook a third time.

'Earthquake,' Junpei shouted, already working up a panic as everyone abandoned whatever they had been doing as the tremors increased. Inside, they could hear people screaming and panicking, but as the wind suddenly picked up strength and started throwing their lunches, as well as the heavier folded chairs stacked against the wall as the twins attempted to climb back over, fighting to hold their grip as the shaking fence and whipping wind threatened to push them to their deaths.

'It's safe huh!' Kouji shouted to his twin as the other pushed him up.

'I didn't expect this!' Kouichi shouted back. 'There hasn't been an earthquake or storm warning lately!'

'Guys! Watch out!' Tomoki yelled suddenly from the rail he had managed to clasp, the others on the floor and holding on to something or other, just as Kouji made it to the top and Kouichi began to climb. Both twins looked, finding a chair coming right at them. Kouji jumped down, knees bucking as momentum carried and narrowly avoiding the projectile, but his brother wasn't so lucky as the metal slammed into his fingers, breaking his grip.

'Kouichi!' the five yelled as one, as their sixth member flailed uselessly in the air as he fell, fence torn from his hands, one bleeding slightly from the force. Wings shot out, but they were useless, the extra weight only dragging him down as he found the broken limbs, the only injuries he sustained from the crash, unable to function as the air threw him to the splitting ground below.

Those who were looking at the time only saw an angel falling with broken wings.

But the deafening cracks of foundations collapsing and roads caving prevented them from seeing or thinking about anything else.

Save five children still on a rooftop shouting for one of their dearest friends.


	9. Recognition

**Author's Notes**

Left the Guiltless update. Gave up on Chimeramon. That digimon is hopeless at the moment. Maybe later.

Explanation at the end. But the spirits part took up most of the chapter. I thought it was going to wind up shorter. Oh well...doesn't really matter.

**Chapters remaining after this:** 1

Enjoy, and stay tuned for the final chapter, which will be up...actually, I have no idea when. Soon hopefully.

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 9 – Recognition**

'Ooh, my head,' Kouichi groaned, pulling himself off the ground and onto his feet, fully expecting to see the top of the roof under the presumption that the falling was simply a concussion talking or else the shock, or the building, in which case he had fallen and somehow survived, or in the last rational scenario, something akin to the river of death which would indicate that he had...well, died.

Fortunately, it wasn't the last, and unfortunately, it was none of the above. What he saw was...well, nothing. Which was, all sarcasm intended, _very_ helpful.

'So...' he wondered out loud to himself. 'What's happened?'

'It's a long story,' another voice, rather familiar but unbelievable all the same, admitted.

'Lowemon?'

'Of course.'

Some light shone then, from what, once his eyes had adjusted, appeared to be Wolfmon's kendo sword, his own alter-ego standing beside him.

'So, I'm in the Digital World?'

'Not exactly.' It was Wolfmon who replied this time. 'This is where you first came to the Digital World.'

'Oh.' Well, he couldn't say he was comfortable with the idea. 'Am I..?'

'Dead? Far from it,' his spirit replied, sounding pleased but adeptly masking it. 'You're simply unconscious as your spiritual energy attempts to repair the damage your body took. That earthquake was...a minor miscalculation.'

'I wouldn't say minor,' the warrior of light rebuked gravely. 'It could certainly do a lot of damage if the circumstances weren't as they are.'

'Indeed.' But the warrior of darkness sounded sad thereafter, as if there was more to be desired from the situation than what was apparent.

'I don't understand,' the human admitted. 'What's going on?'

'The Digital World is simply going through a...reformatting,' Lowemon proceeded to explain. 'It does so every now and then; there are only so many times you can patch a toy up before it needs replacing. Depending on the time syncs, the formatting can cause anything from simple power-outages to massive releases of energy in areas where the connection between our worlds are strong. Shibuya is one of those; Shinjuku, Odaiba, Tamachi and Highten View Terrace are the other areas in Tokyo where gates are known to open.'

'It was a little badly timed in this circumstance,' Wolfmon admitted. 'But luckily, the sync meant that Shibuya was the only place affected. Unluckily, it takes the entire brunt.'

'Before that,' the dark warrior continued. 'We warriors together counselled and lead the new Digital World once Susanoomon defeated Lucemon and restored the world's digi-code. The angels only ever reached their Adult levels, but they remained with us, along with Bokomon and Neemon, and together, the fifteen of us managed to keep relative piece. There was some fighting, namely between Wolfmon and Agunimon-' Here, he looked at Wolfmon while Kouichi stifled a laugh, before continuing. 'But everything worked out in the end with minimum collateral damage.'

'However,' his surrogate brother took up the slack as Lowemon paused. 'Once the world is reformatted, we will no longer be solid as we are now, so the spirits will simply sleep and await new, or perhaps old, warriors to take on our power. As it is, the angels could resume rule, but with the time it took for them to evolve to their Adult form, it could be thousands of years before they reach the Ultimate level. It's too dangerous. And as you know, Lucemon's egg is beginning to hatch. And with part of his spirit existing on the human plane, his form will mature and grow faster than most normal digimon.'

'So you expect him to retake rule,' Kouichi surmised.

'Indeed,' Lowemon sighed. 'That's not the problem though. All digimon and humans are capable of remorse, and all deserve a second chance. While he may not remember the past, he has hopefully learnt the lessons from it, and would therefore make a wise ruler. Although we are not the final voice in this matter.'

'She respects our decision though,' Wolfmon pointed out. 'And don't ask,' he added, seeing the raven haired human about to open his mouth. 'Not human, not digimon but somehow made from data. She's the one in charge of everything relating to the digital world, and she's the one who selects the Chosen. But we don't know anything else.'

'Oh, okay.' The blue eyes glanced around, still not able to see past the darkness even with the addition of light in the scene. 'So what is the problem then? And why am I here?'

'Well...' Lowemon looked rather uncomfortable here, looking desperately at the light warrior who sighed and took up the bat.

'When Lucemon scanned your code,' Wolfmon explained. 'You already know the data got crossed. What you may not have realised is that your cores, the unique part of the soul that defines you as a separate entity, was also changed. You lost part of yours in death, and gained a part of your brothers when he called you back. On top of that, you both took a share of Lucemon's, you when your data was scanned and then reconfigured, and your brother when he gave part of his to you. Lowemon also shares a part of your core Kouichi, so he is also inevitably linked to that, and I because of my connection with your brother. Therefore, all our fates link to a single thread.'

'I'm not sure I followed all of that,' Kouichi confessed, looking thoroughly confused. 'What does that mean?'

'It's hard to tell,' Lowemon admitted. 'It could mean that we all die should one of us, in which circumstance this reformatting will kill both you and Kouji, or it could mean that we cannot die unless all of us somehow drop dead at the same time.'

'Yeah, when pigs fly,' the other snorted. 'What's the chances of that happening?'

'Don't take fate so lightly brother,' the lion chided. 'We said the same when searching for those who could wield our spirits, and look what happened.'

'Indeed.' The brown eyes regarded Kouichi with a keen interest, before a genuine smile broke out. 'If it was the former,' he added to the human in what was assumed to be an attempt of reassurance. 'You wouldn't be here still.'

'There is another problem though,' Lowemon interjected. 'Lucemon's missing about half his core, which you and your brother share between your own. Each core is stable only in its entirety, so missing parts simply suck what's nearest. That's the reason your data's crossed initially; your soul missing a piece lead to it attracting Lucemon's when it broke with the data. Not being enough to save your life, your brother's desire for you to live led to him offering a little more, enough to revive you, but in the process, being a foreign entity to you, part of Lucemon's core latched on to your brother. That made it difficult for him since he had not let go of his hatred, so it grew within while he struggled for understanding. But now Lucemon will be needing his life force, so both you and your brother need to let it go.'

'What happens to us if we do that?' the Child of Darkness asked, emotions passing so briefly he couldn't tell one from another.

It was Wolfmon who answered that. 'Hopefully things return to normal. Cores are made up of energy after all, and while three years in your world is not a lot of time, you had your digi-code here to rejuvenate your life force and the cores you had lost. All it truly takes is time, and something else.' The brown eyes twinkled. 'You both already know what. You were just talking about it.'

'Forgiveness?'

The lion nodded. '"To err is human, to forgive divine." There is far more in those words than most will ever understand.'

The wolverine rolled his brown eyes at the other. 'All you really have to do though is use darkness to hold and heal the foundations and light to rebuild around them. That will release the energy from the core and reset the balance as here, the Digital World rebuilds itself.'

'That's it?' Kouichi asked, surprised at the simplicity.

'Yeah. That's it.'

'Then what happens to everyone's...um, fates linking together?'

The two warriors looked at each other, before Wolfmon spoke. 'We don't know,' he admitted, though something in his tone made the other think he was lying, or at least not telling the whole truth. 'Hopefully, normal. It would suck if we had to wait for a one in a million chance.'

'Like you can complain,' Lowemon chided. 'Our life spans are far longer than humans. That's not very likely to happen though.'

'O-okay,' the human agreed doubtfully, forehead scrunching a bit as he attempted to find the flaw in the tale, which both digimon noted and set about diverting.

'In any case,' the warrior of darkness added hurriedly. 'It's time for you to wake up.'

He quickly gave the human a push backward just as protests started to form on his lips.

'We didn't even get a chance to say goodbye!'

And as the darkness began to fade, he could have sworn he saw Wolfmon rolling his eyes again. 'Just say it now.'

'Goodbye Kouichi.' That was Lowemon. 'But this might not be the end. Fate may intend for us to meet again.'

He couldn't help but smile, even if he couldn't see either of the two anymore, nor the light shining through the darkness.

'See you later then.'

Twin laughs followed that, before sound too faded for him.

In the relative darkness, the two warriors remained side by side for a moment later.

'You lied,' Lowemon said.

'You weren't going to even say that,' Wolfmon pointed out. 'And it was necessary.'

'But you know the part that touched death can never be returned. His spirit won't simply die, it will fade.'

'He's smart. He'll realise it before the end. And till then, he can live.'

'Live, not simply survive huh?'

'Of course.'

The two spirit-brothers locked eyes, two different shades of brown merging into one, before the spell was broken and each turned to see the world...or what was left.

'It's time for us to sleep now.'

'Indeed. Try not to let some psychopath corrupt your spirits again.'

'Like I could do anything to prevent that.'

* * *

'Kouichi!' The five on the roof shouted as they watched their friend fall. The end was however interrupted as the building shook dangerously again, sending the teenagers tumbling and Kouji almost after his brother as the safety fence gave way...only to be stopped by Takuya grabbing his ankle by one hand with the other looped around the outer stairs. Beneath them, they could hear the panicked screams and commands of students and teachers respectively, but they had no ear for that. What mattered most was family, the six of them who were united by all save blood.

And in some instances even that.

Even on their pedestal, as close to heaven as they could get at the time, their eyes were not omnipresent. Unable to see beyond the boundaries to which they attempted to remain in...for their lives, as well as for each others.

Even the peripheral view of light was limited. That was one truth his nightmares gave; it was darkness that was absolute. Light was always defined to its boundaries. And even the nature of humans to push past their limitations could never take it to darkness' feet. Nor could darkness itself, if one really thought about. Push and potential; two things that never seemed to match up.

His thoughts, distracted by the trembling beneath him, fled to the blinding flash of light which had absorbed the shock of the impact. He had crossed the road without looking both ways and his brother had gotten between, but with the speed the car had been travelling (it was a major road after all), all he wound up with was broken wings that didn't exist in human anatomy.

'I wonder if...' he whispered, half to himself and trailing off as the idea formulated in his head, utterly insane as it appeared but perhaps possible.

'If what?' Takuya hollered from behind him, struggling to hang on to the stair railing as it shook dangerously. 'Oh no-'

The horror suddenly halted as the shaking stopped.

There was a sigh of relief some distance away, and Izumi pulled Tomoki from the stairwell while Junpei got free from the fence that had temporarily trapped him. As he was the one nearest to the edge and able to stand, Kouji and Takuya still a little tangled and needing a third party, he was the first to see their sixth member on the ground, one side covered in blood and same palm glowing white, and the other, black.

'Hey, Kouichi's okay!'

Takuya almost dropped the other twin at the news, but luckily, soccer and digital world reflexes kicked in and stopped him. Izumi and Tomoki had made it over at this point, the two helping the pair stuck at the unbalance before the four joined their fifth member at the edge, staring down at their sixth.

'Okay? He's covered in blood.'

'He's standing and everything though. And...glowing?'

'Hey guys?'

The four looked at Tomoki, who had turned his gaze to look more generally. 'Is it just me, or is the entire district glowing?'

They followed his gaze, realising he was right; the buildings, the rows, even the plants that had toppled were covered in the same lukewarm light with darkness just underneath.

Then, looking at each other, they found Kouji was glowing in the same way, left palm brimming with darkness while right palm stemmed light.

A few minutes later, it was as if nothing had happened at all, save the blood covering the elder twin still, and the slight dizziness on both parts.

* * *

'What was that all about?' Takuya gasped, once the outer stairs had taken the five to Kouichi.

'Lowemon said it was a miscalculation,' the addressed explained, wondering how to explain how his alter ego had shown up along with his brother's. 'The Digital World was reformatting itself. It's a bit of a long story.'

It was more than that, because with all the questions, concerns and explanations that flew, the bell for sixth period had gone, signalling them back into their classrooms. Not that the six went.

'Geeze, not even an earthquake can cancel classes,' Junpei groaned, not looking forward to Modern Literature.

'You know,' the only blonde in the group mused thoughtfully. 'It doesn't look like anything happened at all.'

She raised a questioning eyebrow at the only one with any information, who shrugged. 'Something about time syncs I think. Lowemon was rather vague.'

'And now?' Tomoki asked. 'You two can't do this again, can you?'

Kouichi looked at his brother, before offering his right hand. Confused, Kouji took it, only to feel a sting and pull back.

'What was that for?' he asked, rubbing the slightly red spot in the centre, before blinking as the annoying dizziness vanished to...well, somewhere. 'What did you do?'

The elder twin inspected his own palm, before shrugging. 'Maybe that was your core becoming hole again. I had a part of it, remember?'

'Oh yeah.' That was Takuya, who suddenly frowned. 'Why aren't you any different? And what's with the blood?'

'Lowemon said something about my body repairing itself,' Kouichi muttered, feeling through the bloodied clothes for any wounds. 'Didn't mention anything like this. I think that's a no to your question Tomoki.' He looked at Kouji. 'Normal?'

'Yep. You?'

The elder couldn't resist the opportunity. 'I thought I was 'just weird',' he teased, reminding the other about their conversation in Ophanimon's library. 'But otherwise, yes.'

'Anyway, you certainly can't go to school like this,' Junpei pointed out reasonably, steering the conversation back on track. 'How in the world are we going to explain it?'

'I can't go home either,' the other rebuked. 'No shower, and people are going to question if I try the public one.'

'What about one of our houses?' Tomoki asked. 'My parents aren't home, and Yutaka-nii already knows about the Digital World so that will save us a convincing lie.'

'My house is closer,' Kouji pointed out. 'And our parents know too.'

'Child Services?' Junpei pointed out, giving one twin a pointed glare while the other a slightly sorrowful one. 'Remind me to become a politician so I can fix that stupid rule.'

''kaa-san never renewed her will,' the shorter haired twin pointed out. 'If she had said 'tou-san was allowed to take custody of me, then this wouldn't have happened.'

'Who was supposed to then?' Izumi asked.

'Obaa-chan.'

The six were silent for a while after, Tomoki looking up to the roof where they had abandoned their lunches before tilting his gaze down again. 'Hey guys,' he said slowly. 'I don't know much about law or anything, but can't Satomi-san adopt Kouichi? She's not related to him.'

The other five gaped at him, before exchanging glances and then returning to the fish-out-of-the-water routine.

'You know,' their unofficial leader grinned, ruffling the youngest boy's hair. 'That might just work.'

'How would you know?' the eldest asked, sounding a little sceptical.

''tou-san's a lawyer, that's why. And I'll bet he'll help. It'll take a few days longer otherwise.'

'But guys,' Kouichi protested, more so because he couldn't believe the solution was so simple than not wanting it. 'We don't know-'

'Then we'll find out,' Kouji replied, throwing his jacket to his brother before seizing his wrist and dragging him across the yard.

'Hey! What about school?' Izumi yelled after them, but neither heard. 'Ugh, boys.'

'So,' Junpei sighed, throwing his hands behind his head. 'How do we explain-?'

'What are you four doing out of class, and why-Is that blood?'

The addressed turned to find a teacher caught between angry and shocked.

'Oh brother,' Takuya groaned, before gambling on the first explanation that popped into his head.

'You see,' he said hurriedly, pointing to a conveniently located soccer ball. 'We were playing soccer, and Kouichi somehow fell and bumped his head; you know how he had that accident a few years back, so Kouji took him home in case it gets worse.'

Luckily, the teacher brought it, as Kouichi's clothes had managed to soak up enough to make the remainder look like the remnants of a flesh wound.

'Well,' the elderly man sighed, ushering the others off to class and calling the janitor. 'You should have taken him to the nurse first.'

* * *

**Author's Notes**

I just made up the Kousei not being able to take custody because Tomoko didn't allow it in her pre-frontier will part, so just go along with that. However, that only applies to Kousei directly taking custody, not Satomi adopting and Kousei getting on being the husband of the adopter basis. The only problem would be if they divorced; Satomi would be the one who got custody of Kouichi seeing as she was the one who adopted him, and Kousei would get custody of Kouji because he was the one with the original custody. But so long as they remain together, one nice happy family.

And the she Lowemon and Wolfmon mentioned is the same one that possesses Hikari in season 1.


	10. Normalisation

**Author's Notes**

And now we come to the inevitable conclusion of this fic.

**Chapters remaining after this:** 0

Enjoy.

* * *

**Immortal**

He wasn't alive. Not truly. Some part of him had died that day. But the others didn't know. But they can tell something's wrong, and they won't stop till they find the answer. But sometimes, it's better off not knowing...

Kouichi K

Genre: Supernatural, Angst

Rating: T

* * *

**Chapter 10 – Normalisation**

Kouji found his brother in the previously spare room. It felt weird calling it 'Kouichi's room', as it didn't quite have the 'Kouichi' feel to it. The closet was rather empty, the elder twin not having owned enough to fit into it, and they had donated Tomoko's old things, save a particular kimino (Kousei vaguely remembered her wearing it at their wedding) her charge had insisted go to Satomi and the photos which went into an album or those already framed went on the dressing table as a memorial.

Satomi had insisted he paint the room and at least personalise the furniture and curtains (fevourently backed up by Kousei, then Kouji and the gang), but he hadn't really decided on a decor yet. Grey was rather untempting; it was simply too bleak of an image. Yellow was sunnier, but just not him. White...certainly not. He'd go crazy simply staring at the walls. Red, ditto. Maybe cream...no, too much like yellow. Purple...nice, but rather girlish. It was more Izumi's room to be honest. A light brown seemed to work though.

He grabbed the pencil and shaded in the outline he had drawn, not even noticing his brother standing over his shoulder before he spoke. Luckily, the lead had been off the paper when Kouji did, otherwise there would have been a few accidental lines on that drawing.

'What are you doing?' he asked curiously. 'Drawing your bedroom?'

'Trying to decide on a scheme,' Kouichi replied, though with a tone that indicated his heart wasn't 100 percent in it.

'Brown?' the younger questioned next, tilting his head slightly and inspecting the sketch. 'Nice.'

'I doubt you would have complained if I covered this place in pink and purple.'

'For a time anyway,' the other agreed, laughing. 'Until it hit how ridiculous that would look. What are you doing now?'

Having set the pencil down, the elder twin had picked up his HB and begun sketching something at the top.

'KaiserLeomon,' he replied, working on the figure until it was wholly recognisable before pulling out darker brown pencils and gazing at them with a critical eye. 'Frames?'

'You're asking me?' The younger twin cocked an eyebrow, causing the other to laugh.

'True.' He gazed at them a little longer, before selecting one. 'This one.'

'Curtains?'

'Getting there.' He thought moment, fiddling with his collection of colours, a birthday present from Izumi, before deciding debating against them. 'White? No, it will let too much light in. Maybe white on the outside, and leave the blinds.' He looked up, realising that was what he already had, and laughed again. 'I guess they're staying.'

'I thought you hated blinds.'

'No. You hate blinds.'

'True.' Kouji paused there for a moment, before considering something and restarting the conversation. 'Hey, Ni-san, are you-?' He faltered there, but his brother caught on anyway.

'Not really,' he murmured, turning his attention back to his sketchbook, before alternating it to the little shrine on his dressing table. 'I still miss her, and it's a little hard to get used to not feeling something I'd grown accustomed too.'

'Same here,' the other admitted. 'But it's better.'

Kouichi closed his eyes. '"Sadness flies on the wings of the morning and out of the heart of darkness comes the light,"' he quoted.

Another eyebrow raised. 'Where'd you get that from?'

The addressed shrugged. 'Somewhere. I forgot.'

Kouji scowled a little. 'I don't like it.'

'No,' his brother agreed. 'Neither do I. To absolute when it comes to boundaries between light and darkness. Honestly, I find it a little insulting.'

'You should. It's insulting your spirits.'

'Prejudice. Darkness has a lot against it.'

'True.' Then, changing the subject, he quickly added. 'You don't really have to change much save paint the frames and wall. Your furniture already matches.' Then, fixing the other with a mock glare, he added: 'I get the feeling you done that on purpose.'

In retaliation, Kouichi swiped the pillow of the bed and aimed it. Soon, they were engrossed in a pillow fight, until Satomi came upstairs half an hour later with snacks, which they gladly accepted.

* * *

'I believe I asked you not to be late again Kimura-kun,' Sujiyama Osamu scolded as the older twin finally made it to first period, having been held up before he could leave the house with his brother by a lawyer finalising arrangements (these things did take a few days after all) and releasing to him the contents of his mother's will. Kouji had escaped almost immediately, since his end was straightforward, but as there was still the apartment, the furniture, plus some other valuables on the side of the elder twin, it took a little more discussion and explanation before the former was leased, and the rest either agreed to be sold or kept. So instead of half an hour early as they had originally planned, he would up being late by the same amount.

'Gomen Sensei,' he replied, bowing low. 'It won't happen again sir.'

He distinctly remembered saying the same thing around the time he had first found out about his mother's illness, and it seemed his teacher remembered too.

'I want an explanation after class,' the elder said with a note of finality, gesturing his student to his sit and then turning to continue with the class.

Kouichi took the dismissal, sliding into his seat next to his brother and giving a small smile. Receiving one in return, he prepared himself for a new day at school.

And beside him, Kouji hit the bigger grin upon seeing the black sketchbook in its usual spot.

* * *

'Ah,' Takuya sighed in exaggerated relief once the six were seated at their usual table. 'The fabled sketchbook is back.'

Before the other could react, the goggle-wearing brunette had snatched it from his lax grip.

'Hey!' Kouichi protested, but it went unheard as Izumi peaked curiously over Takuya's shoulder to look at the sketches, squealing in excitement as she spotted a particular one. 'This is the Village of Beginnings.'

Takuya stopped flicking pages as the rest of the gang (save the one who had done the drawing and was now blushing slightly in embarrassment) stared at the image.

'How'd you get the leaves like that?' Tomoki wondered in amazement. 'And without any colour too?'

The raven shrugged as his younger twin looked curiously at the image, before giving a short bark of laughter. 'You've even got Pabumon thinking Izumi's his mother.'

The other four laughed at that, before Takuya flicked the page to new drawings. 'You know,' he said, stopping at another one and cocking his head. 'Lucemon doesn't really look like a cocky little brat in this one. He looks almost...sad.'

The others, this time Kouichi included, stared at the image, of the angel curled up in a small ball, the edge cracked. 'I don't remember this.'

'It's his imprisonment in the Dark Area,' the dark haired boy mumbled, fighting to hide his blush...until Junpei looped an arm around him.

'These are amazing,' he complimented, before hurriedly catching a floating image as Takuya's flipping dislodged some of the loose pictures. 'Hey, here's the Village of Beginnings again. The reunion of the ten legendary warriors.'

'Are you putting any of these in your room?' Izumi asked, having found the image he had been using to match up a colour scheme

Kouichi shrugged, taking the book back from Takuya and the loose pages from Junpei. 'There's a wall practically empty except for the dressing table, but I don't know which ones I should put up.'

'You should definitely put up those two,' Tomoki said. 'The one with the ten warriors, and Lucemon imprisoned in the Dark Area. Don't put the room though; that would be rather pointless.'

They all laughed at that. It certainly would. Until things changed and a new memory needed to be recorded.

* * *

'There,' Kouichi declared, tacking up the last drawing and climbing down from the ladder Kouji and Takuya had thoughtfully dragged up for him. 'Done.'

Izumi, who had been helping him, stepped back and gave the room a critical eye. 'That's better,' she agreed. 'But that corner looks too plain.'

''tou-san's getting the paint tomorrow,' Kouji explained. 'That's the spirit corner.'

'How'd you know?' his brother asked in surprise. 'I didn't finish the sketch.'

'It was rather obvious once Chakkmon was riding on KaiserLeomon's back.'

'True.'

Junpei, who with Tomoki had been spreading newspaper under the same upper corner, came over once done. 'Nice,' the elder said appreciatively. 'We'll have this room like you in no time.'

'You guys...' Kouichi began, before stopping at the triple glare he suddenly received. 'Okay, I won't say it.'

'You had better not,' Kouji, Takuya and Izumi shot back as one, causing Tomoki to elapse into a fit of giggles, while Junpei helped move the ladder.

'Huh?' their unofficial leader blinked at Kouichi, clambering up the latter again with all the elegance of a graceful klutz. 'You're painting without paint?'

'No, outlining.'

'Oh.'

The five, who had decided to help Kouichi decorate his room (never minding the fact that he had never decorated the one in his apartment), took a seat on the vacant bed, Junpei blinking at the stuffed black lion sitting on the pillow.

'You sleep with a stuffed animal?' he asked, causing Tomoki to blush and himself to stare in confusion before it clicked as to why. 'Oh yeah, this is the one-'

'Yeah, we remember,' Kouji cut in, rolling his eyes. 'And in case you forgot, it was on top of the closet before. We had to move it.'

'Oh yeah,' their eldest responded sheepishly, watching Blitzmon form in the 'spirit corner' and grabbing a cookie Satomi had baked for them. 'You work fast,' he commented, seeing Shutumon already coming to life beside his suddenly completed hero.

'Outlining doesn't require detail,' Kouichi explained, sketching in the wings, before starting on the last spirit, his own corrupted one.

'Uurgh,' the blonde groaned. 'Did you have to put Duskmon and Velgmon there?'

'It gives a certain flare to it,' the youngest pointed out. 'But it is a little creepy.'

'It's a reminder,' Kouji explained, before Kouichi could say a word. 'But I have to agree, that is creepy.'

Kouichi shrugged, before pointing to the image in the centre of the wall. 'You said that one was creepy too,' he pointed out, gesturing at the trinity image jumping out.

Kouji followed his line of sight, and almost fell of the bed. 'That's creepier,' he declared. 'Seriously, you might have good taste, but it's definitely weird.'

'...I thought we determined that in Ophanimon's library.'

He climbed down carefully, and Kouji and Takuya quickly reclaimed the ladder, leaving him to grab the remnant images in his sketchbook.

'You know,' the half-Italian pointed out. 'You should put those in a folio. They won't keep falling out then.'

'Yeah,' the other agreed. 'You're right.'

'Well, I know what to get for your birthday next week then. Now if only Kouji was that simple.'

Izumi walked to the door, Tomoki right behind her with the plate, Junpei and the two with the ladder having already headed downstairs.

'Coming?' she asked.

'In a minute,' the older twin responded, and the girl accepted that.

Once they left, Kouichi turned to his wall again, more specifically to the dressing table and small shrine he had set up there.

There was a lot he had always wanted to say to his mother, but had never gotten the chance. But he remembered her final words, relayed by Junpei, then later by Kouji himself, after they had managed to convince each other that things had worked out for the best. But words sometimes sounded so hollow in the air, especially those which wouldn't matter later on.

Honouring the wishes of the dead and continuing on with life were the too that did.

Goodbye didn't have to be permanent, because the dead lived in the hearts of the living forever.

So...

'Mata atode aimashou 'kaa-san,' he whispered, giving his mother's portrait a smile. 'See you later.'

* * *

_**The End.**_

* * *

And that's it guys. Hope you enjoyed the ride.

_Mata atode aimashou_: see you later.

By the way, for anyone whose interested in what Lowemon and Wolfmon (Lobomon) were discussing, there is a conclusion to this trilogy called Laid to Rest, which focuses on the new digital world and chances for new life, as well the inevitable for a certain someone. A oneshot like In Memoriam, so keep an eye out for that.

So, until the next update then. See ya guys, and thanks for all your support.


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